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PCG Clarifies Chinese Navy Aid To Filipino Fisherman
Photo credit: Chinese Embassy Manila
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has moved to clarify reports surrounding a Chinese navy ship’s encounter with a Filipino fisherman off the coast of Zambales, stressing that while the act appeared humanitarian, key details must not be misrepresented.
In a statement posted online, the PCG acknowledged the gesture made by the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Luyang III-class guided-missile destroyer, bow number 174, which handed a bottle of water and three packs of biscuits to a Filipino fisherman at sea. The PCG noted that the act stood in contrast to what it described as the “barbaric, illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions often employed by the China Coast Guard against Filipino fishermen.”
However, the PCG emphasized that the situation was not as dire as some claims suggested.
According to the Coast Guard, it received no prior information from the Chinese navy regarding the location or condition of the fisherman. This, it said, limited coordination and raised questions about how the incident was later portrayed.
The PCG also disputed claims that the fisherman had been drifting helplessly for three days. Instead, authorities said the fisherman was safely tied to a floating aggregate device, locally known as a payao, and was simply waiting for his mother boat to return. The fishing vessel had left on December 24 at around 3:00 p.m., and the fisherman was located by both the PCG and the mother boat the following afternoon—less than 24 hours later.
More importantly, the Coast Guard pointed out that the Chinese warship had no legitimate reason to be operating in the area. The reported location of the encounter, about 71 nautical miles west of Silanguin Island in Zambales, falls well within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
The PCG also warned against using the incident for political messaging. It expressed hope that the episode would not be turned into propaganda, but instead serve as recognition of the long-standing rights of Filipino fishermen to operate in waters around Bajo de Masinloc.
The Coast Guard added that it hopes the PLAN, unlike the China Coast Guard, will stop supporting what it described as the Chinese Communist Party’s unfounded claim over nearly the entire South China Sea through its so-called ten-dash line.
While the PCG welcomed any genuine humanitarian act at sea, it stressed that respect for Philippine sovereignty and accurate reporting of events remain essential.
In a statement posted online, the PCG acknowledged the gesture made by the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Luyang III-class guided-missile destroyer, bow number 174, which handed a bottle of water and three packs of biscuits to a Filipino fisherman at sea. The PCG noted that the act stood in contrast to what it described as the “barbaric, illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions often employed by the China Coast Guard against Filipino fishermen.”
However, the PCG emphasized that the situation was not as dire as some claims suggested.
According to the Coast Guard, it received no prior information from the Chinese navy regarding the location or condition of the fisherman. This, it said, limited coordination and raised questions about how the incident was later portrayed.
The PCG also disputed claims that the fisherman had been drifting helplessly for three days. Instead, authorities said the fisherman was safely tied to a floating aggregate device, locally known as a payao, and was simply waiting for his mother boat to return. The fishing vessel had left on December 24 at around 3:00 p.m., and the fisherman was located by both the PCG and the mother boat the following afternoon—less than 24 hours later.
More importantly, the Coast Guard pointed out that the Chinese warship had no legitimate reason to be operating in the area. The reported location of the encounter, about 71 nautical miles west of Silanguin Island in Zambales, falls well within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
The PCG also warned against using the incident for political messaging. It expressed hope that the episode would not be turned into propaganda, but instead serve as recognition of the long-standing rights of Filipino fishermen to operate in waters around Bajo de Masinloc.
The Coast Guard added that it hopes the PLAN, unlike the China Coast Guard, will stop supporting what it described as the Chinese Communist Party’s unfounded claim over nearly the entire South China Sea through its so-called ten-dash line.
While the PCG welcomed any genuine humanitarian act at sea, it stressed that respect for Philippine sovereignty and accurate reporting of events remain essential.
Dec 26, 2025
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