China’s 'monster ship' passed El Nido, Scarborough Shoal —expert

China's "Monster Ship" was monitored passing through the waters of El Nido, Palawan and Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), an expert said Wednesday.

China Coast Guard (CCG) 5901 called "The Monster" passed Scarborough Shoal at around 7 a.m., according to US Air Force official and ex-Defence Attaché Ray Powell on X (formerly Twitter). 

“Scarborough Shoal was CCG 5901's ("The Monster") final visit in its intrusive patrol of the Philippines' EEZ," said Powell. 

"It passed within 1-2 kilometers of the shoal at 0700 local time this morning," he added. 

Powell also said that "The Monster" passed El Nido, Palawan on Tuesday. 

He also said that Chinese vessel had stops in several "hot spots" this week. 

Scarborough Shoal was ????????#China Coast Guard 5901's ("The Monster") final visit in its intrusive patrol of the ????????#Philippines' exclusive economic zone. It passed within 1-2km of the shoal at 0700 local time this morning.
Intrusive patrolling explained here: https://t.co/XMHhupl45m https://t.co/xeMjx980A8 pic.twitter.com/i7Er4maEX6

— Ray Powell (@GordianKnotRay) June 26, 2024

“CCG 5901--"The Monster"--has visited many South China Sea hotspots this week: Thitu Island, Luconia Shoals, 2nd Thomas Shoal, Flat Island, Nanshan Island, and Sabina Shoal," disclosed Powell. 

Based on its track, the CCG ship sailed China’s “9-dash line” area in the South China Sea, according to open-source intelligence sleuth MT Anderson.

GMA News Online has sought comments from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) about the matter but it has yet to respond as of posting time.

China's Monster ship was also recently seen passing near BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

This comes days after a Philippine Navy sailor lost his thumb and several others were injured after CCG personnel repeatedly rammed Philippine Navy rubber boats to stop them from delivering food supplies, firearms, and other necessities to BRP Sierra Madre.

The Philippines has already sent a note verbale to China over the incident. The DFA is also considering summoning Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian because of what happened.

Despite the continued aggressive actions by China, the National Security Council (NSC) believes that Beijing also wants to de-escalate tensions in the West Philippine Sea despite its growing aggression in the disputed territory.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Its territorial claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Manila refers parts of the waters within its exclusive economic zone as the West Philippine Sea.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in the Hague ruled that China's claims over the South China Sea had no legal basis, a decision Beijing does not recognize. —VAL, GMA Integrated News