Latest news with #Tianwangxing
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
From seas to space: China's Type 815A spy ships are keeping PLA Navy informed and ready
China's Type 815A spy ships have become pivotal to People's Liberation Army naval operations and intelligence gathering, with recent incidents underscoring the vessels' crucial role in Beijing's maritime surveillance and power projection. On July 12, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported the interception of the Type 815A electronic surveillance ship Tianwangxing (hull number 793) operating about 69 nautical miles (128km) off the western Philippines, within Manila's exclusive economic zone. Despite repeated radio challenges from the flagship PCG vessel Teresa Magbanua, the Tianwangxing remained unresponsive while the accompanying China Coast Guard (CCG) ship undertook manoeuvres described by the PCG as 'asserting Beijing's jurisdiction over the disputed waters'. The Chinese spy ship, accompanied by the CCG's Zhaojun-class cutter 4203 and later joined by PLA Navy Type 052D guided missile destroyer Guilin (hull number 164), was conducting what appeared to be intelligence-gathering operations during the US-Philippine Cope Thunder aerial combat exercise. The drills, carried out on July 7-18, saw America's most advanced F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters deployed to the Philippines for the first time. In April, the Japanese defence ministry also reported spotting two PLA Navy Type 815A spy ships near Japan's southwestern islands. It said Japanese naval vessels closely monitored the Yuhengxing (hull number 798) and the Kaiyangxing (hull number 796) as they made their way from the Philippine Sea to the East China Sea, the first one passing through the strategic Miyako Strait and the other sailing between Taiwan and Japan's Yonaguni Island.
Newsweek
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Ally Intercepts Chinese Intelligence Ship in Coastal Waters
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Chinese intelligence-gathering ship sailed between two southwestern Japanese islands Tuesday morning, prompting the United States ally to dispatch a warship to keep tabs on the People's Liberation Army (PLA) vessel, Tokyo said. Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry via email for comment outside of office hours. Why It Matters Japan is part of the so-called First Island Chain, a string of island archipelagos that also includes the Philippines and portions of Indonesia that the U.S. considers key to containing Chinese forces in the event of a conflict. While the Chinese vessel was operating in international waters, its proximity to the strategic Okinawa Prefecture, home to dozens of U.S. military facilities, comes amid heightened tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over a range of issues, including the territorial dispute over the nearby Senkaku Islands, China's military buildup and threats toward neighboring Taiwan. What To Know The Dongdiao-class electronic surveillance ship, the Tianlangxin, was confirmed to be sailing westward approximately 80 miles off Okinawa Prefecture's Miyako Island at around 6 a.m., the Japanese defense ministry's joint staff said. The ship then reportedly followed a northwesterly course that took it through the Miyako Strait—a strategic chokepoint separating Miyako and Okinawa's main island—and toward the East China Sea. In response, the country's de facto navy, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, sent the Fubuki-class destroyer the Amagiri to gather information on the Chinese vessel. The Philippine Coast Guard tracking Type 815G-class electronic surveillance ship the Tianwangxing (793) in waters off Cabra Island on July 12, 2025. The Philippine Coast Guard tracking Type 815G-class electronic surveillance ship the Tianwangxing (793) in waters off Cabra Island on July 12, 2025. Philippine Coast Guard The Tianlangxin was last reported in waters near Japan on June 10. That day, it transited from the East China Sea to the Philippine Sea via the Osumi Strait, which is situated off Japan's southernmost main island, Kyushu. In separate press releases on Tuesday, the Joint Staff reported that an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was twice detected off Taiwan's east coast. The previous day, a PLA Air Force Y-9 aircraft was observed flying through the Miyako Strait from the East China Sea, while a presumed Chinese drone was tracked flying south to north off Taiwan's east coast. In each of the above cases, Japan scrambled fighters to monitor the foreign aircraft. Japan is increasingly unsettled by China's push to supplant the U.S. as the preeminent military power in the region. Japan's annual defense white paper, submitted to the Cabinet last week, cited growing concerns over the increasing frequency of PLA Navy deployments to the First Island Chain and beyond. Chinese warships passing between islands in Okinawa Prefecture, in particular, tripled in number between 2021 and 2024, according to the white paper. Beijing criticized the document, saying it "peddles the false 'China threat'" and that China's national defense policy is "defensive in nature." What Happens Next Japan is expected to continue reporting on Chinese military activities near its territory. Fears over the shifting balance of power in the region have driven Tokyo to bolster ties with the U.S. and other partners in the region and move forward with increasing defense spending to 2 percent of Japan's GDP by 2027.
Miami Herald
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
US Treaty Ally Intercepts Chinese Warships Near Coast: Video
The Philippines dispatched its coast guard over the weekend to challenge a pair of Chinese warships in the Southeast Asian country's maritime zone. Newsweek reached out to China's Foreign Ministry by email with a request for comment. The neighbors are locked in a territorial dispute over China's expanding coast guard and naval presence inside Manila's exclusive economic zone, an area that extends 230 miles from the Philippine territorial sea. The U.S. ally alone is entitled to patrol in the zone under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both the Philippines and China are signatories. An estimated one-third of the world's ship-borne trade passes through the South China Sea each year. It is the subject of competing claims by several countries, including China. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Philippine coast guard (PCG) spokesperson Jay Tarriela said the agency deployed its largest vessel, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, to intercept Chinese electronic surveillance ship the Tianwangxing. The vessel was detected about 80 miles off the coast of Cabra Island, in the Philippine province of Occidental Mindoro. Video released by the Philippine coast guard captured a radio broadcast informing the Chinese ship that it was not authorized to operate in those waters and ordering it to leave. The Tianwangxing did not react but its Chinese coast guard escort responded by asserting Beijing's claim to the area. As of 11:00 a.m. Saturday, the Chinese ships had been joined by a second People's Liberation Army Navy vessel—guided-missile destroyer Guilin—which deployed its onboard helicopter in what Tarriela said were landing exercises. "The PCG remains steadfast in its mission to uphold Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in its maritime zones, especially in the West Philippine Sea, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 2016 Arbitral Award, and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act," Tarriela said. The West Philippine Sea is Manila's term for those parts of the South China Sea that fall within its exclusive economic zone. The arbitral award he referenced is a 2016 ruling by a Hague-based tribunal that rejected most of China's expansive maritime claims. Beijing refused to participate in the proceedings and continues to reject the ruling. Cabra Island is situated nearly 800 miles from China's southernmost province, Hainan. Chinese state-affiliated think tank South China Sea Strategic Probing Initiative wrote on X: "Wow! How brave PCG is! However, what right does the PCG have to intercept a Chinese military vessel in this area?" The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Sunday: "Today, the Philippines commemorates the ninth anniversary of the landmark ruling on the South China Sea Arbitration. "Since its promulgation by the Arbitral Tribunal, this Arbitral Award continues to serve as a guide for the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law and its dispute settlement mechanisms, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea..." China is likely to continue sending maritime forces into the Philippine EEZ, in what analysts say is a bid to normalize their presence there. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to continue challenging the Chinese ships and publicizing their movements. Marcos vowed in 2024 not to cede "one square inch" of Philippine territory to any foreign power. Related Articles China Appears to Pull Off Satellite Feat That NASA Has Never AchievedChina Blasts US Ally Over Spying in Air Defense ZoneIran and China Challenge US as Alliance GrowsChina's Astonishing Maglev Train Is Faster Than Most Planes 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Treaty Ally Intercepts Chinese Warships Near Coast: Video
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Philippines dispatched its coast guard over the weekend to challenge a pair of Chinese warships in the Southeast Asian country's maritime zone. Newsweek reached out to China's Foreign Ministry by email with a request for comment. Why It Matters The neighbors are locked in a territorial dispute over China's expanding coast guard and naval presence inside Manila's exclusive economic zone, an area that extends 230 miles from the Philippine territorial sea. The U.S. ally alone is entitled to patrol in the zone under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both the Philippines and China are signatories. An estimated one-third of the world's ship-borne trade passes through the South China Sea each year. It is the subject of competing claims by several countries, including China. What To Know In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Philippine coast guard (PCG) spokesperson Jay Tarriela said the agency deployed its largest vessel, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, to intercept Chinese electronic surveillance ship the Tianwangxing. The vessel was detected about 80 miles off the coast of Cabra Island, in the Philippine province of Occidental Mindoro. This photo shows the Philippine Coast Guard tracking Type 051 guided missile destroyer the Guilin in waters off Cabra Island on July 12, 2025. This photo shows the Philippine Coast Guard tracking Type 051 guided missile destroyer the Guilin in waters off Cabra Island on July 12, 2025. Philippine Coast Guard Video released by the Philippine coast guard captured a radio broadcast informing the Chinese ship that it was not authorized to operate in those waters and ordering it to leave. The Tianwangxing did not react but its Chinese coast guard escort responded by asserting Beijing's claim to the area. As of 11:00 a.m. Saturday, the Chinese ships had been joined by a second People's Liberation Army Navy vessel—guided-missile destroyer Guilin—which deployed its onboard helicopter in what Tarriela said were landing exercises. "The PCG remains steadfast in its mission to uphold Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in its maritime zones, especially in the West Philippine Sea, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 2016 Arbitral Award, and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act," Tarriela said. The West Philippine Sea is Manila's term for those parts of the South China Sea that fall within its exclusive economic zone. The arbitral award he referenced is a 2016 ruling by a Hague-based tribunal that rejected most of China's expansive maritime claims. Beijing refused to participate in the proceedings and continues to reject the ruling. Cabra Island is situated nearly 800 miles from China's southernmost province, Hainan. What People Are Saying Chinese state-affiliated think tank South China Sea Strategic Probing Initiative wrote on X: "Wow! How brave PCG is! However, what right does the PCG have to intercept a Chinese military vessel in this area?" The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Sunday: "Today, the Philippines commemorates the ninth anniversary of the landmark ruling on the South China Sea Arbitration. "Since its promulgation by the Arbitral Tribunal, this Arbitral Award continues to serve as a guide for the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law and its dispute settlement mechanisms, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea..." What's Next China is likely to continue sending maritime forces into the Philippine EEZ, in what analysts say is a bid to normalize their presence there. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to continue challenging the Chinese ships and publicizing their movements. Marcos vowed in 2024 not to cede "one square inch" of Philippine territory to any foreign power.
