China’s Type 22 Warship Chased Away Filipino Civilian Vessel; Fired Dazzlers At BFAR Aircraft – Reports

By
Sakshi Tiwari
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A Chinese missile vessel reportedly chased a civilian Filipino vessel with ABC-CBN crew onboard near the First Thomas Shoal in what appears to be a repeat of a similar incident that took place in 2021.

Chinese missile ship ‘Type 22’ or Houbei-Class vessel of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) chased a Philippine vessel that was conducting maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea, close to First Thomas Shoal or Bulig Shoal, according to reports.

On September 27, BRP Datu Romapenet, operated by the Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), had reportedly set out to deliver food supplies and assistance to local fishermen at the Hasa-Hasa Shoal, also known as Half Moon Shoal when it was shadowed and chased away by the Type-22 missile boat.

Incidentally, the ABS-CBN News crew was also on board the BRP Datu Romapenet when it was chased by the Chinese vessel. The publication has shared a video of the incident on social media.

According to the report, the missile ship also targeted a BFAR jet with lasers three times while it was performing patrols. Though this is the first time that a Type-22 vessel was employed to shadow and chase away a civilian Filipino vessel, a similar incident happened four years ago, in 2021.

In April 2021, PLA Navy attack boats ‘armed with cruise missiles’ chased away a Filipino ABS-CBN news crew in the West Philippine Sea. The crew was en route to the Second Thomas Shoal, which has witnessed intense clashes and confrontations between the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), in the past year.

At that time, ABS-CBN reporter Chiara Zambrano said, “We were on our way to Ayungin Shoal [the Philippine name for Second Thomas Shoal] when a white Chinese Coast Guard ship headed toward us. It moved closer and closer, and we could see that through our lens. After that, it sent a radio communication and in English asked who we were and what we were doing in the area.”

The ABS-CBN crew then decided to head back to Palawan. At that moment, the Chinese vessel chose to pursue them — an alarming event recounted by reporters.

“Two smaller but faster ships chased us,” Zambrano recounted. “The ships were Type 022 Houbei fast attack craft with two missiles mounted.”

As the information about the latest incident came to light, Indo-Pacific naval affairs analyst, Collin Koh wrote on X: “Déjà vu: a repeat of the April 2021 incident, which also involved an ABS-CBN TV crew and again, PLA Navy Type-022 Houbei class missile fast attack craft. The PLA Navy is already adopting a more active, rather than recessed, role in SCS coercion.”

The Type 22 Chinese missile boat is designed to operate in China’s littoral zone and conduct coastal patrols. It has a capacity for 12 crew members and is equipped with eight anti-ship missiles, making it a formidable threat.

According to the non-profit military organization US Naval Institute, the Type-22 guided-missile vessel of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is easily recognizable with its blue camouflage paint design.

The latest incident is significant: it comes during heightened tensions between the two sides in the South China Sea. The Chinese Coast Guard has been sparring with the Filipino forces at multiple locations, including the Second Thomas Shoal, the Scarborough Shoal, and the Spratly Islands.

File:Houbei (Type 022) Class Fast Attack Craft.JPG - Wikipedia
Type-22 missile boat-Wikipedia

Recently, a helicopter from the Chinese Navy monitored and shadowed an aircraft of the Fisheries Bureau as it conducted patrols over the disputed Scarborough Shoal. This was one of the many incidents that are regularly reported. China, on its part, claims the entire South China Sea and continues to intimidate regional forces with which it has overlapping territorial claims.

Several observers have termed the recent incident alarming and unexpected. The founder and director of International Development and Security Cooperation, Dr. Chester Cabalza was quoted by ABC-CBN saying, “This is alarming because it was a missile ship that shadowed our civilian vessel. We all know that if a grey ship was used, it was meant to intimidate us.” Cabalza stated Beijing wants to “build some fear” and intimidate Filipino ships amid rising tensions.

Meanwhile, another incident has come to light concerning a Vietnamese shipping vessel that was attacked in the South China Sea. Internet users have attributed responsibility for the situation to China, although this has not yet been confirmed.

Vietnamese Fishing Vessel Attacked

A Vietnamese fishing boat was attacked in the South China Sea near the Paracel Islands, which are claimed by both China and Vietnam, according to reports in local Vietnamese media. Ten crew members were hurt.

A local official of Binh Chau commune in Quang Ngai province, who was cited in the Tien Phong newspaper said that the Vietnamese boat radioed to report the attack on September 29. The report said that three fishermen had broken limbs and seven others had other injuries.

Vietnam’s border guard is investigating the case but has not yet made any information available. However, social media was swamped with claims that China attacked the fishing vessel while it was operating in waters claimed by Vietnam. EurAsian Times could not independently verify these claims.

The Paracel Islands are located roughly 400 kilometers southeast of the Chinese province of Hainan and approximately 400 kilometers off the eastern coast of Vietnam. Since 1974, when Beijing took the islands from Vietnam during a brief naval battle, they have been under de facto Chinese rule.

The importance of the Paracel Islands to China was demonstrated when the US Navy conducted a “freedom of navigation operation” in the area last year. At that time, China threatened “serious consequences” in response to what it said were “excessive maritime claims”.

While China’s involvement in the attack has not yet been confirmed, Vietnam has had a strained relationship with China over the latter’s “illegal” activities near it. Earlier this year, for example, Vietnam expressed concerns about the heightened presence of Chinese research vessels in its waters and requested that Beijing put an end to its “illegal activities”.

Chinese ships have been entering Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) frequently and for longer periods, upping the ante against Vietnam in line with China’s maritime Gray Zone tactics. Chinese research vessels, coast guard ships, and civilian boats have continued to operate in these regions, consistently interfering with Vietnamese oil and gas activities.

Analysts have cautioned that the tension between the two countries could be another potential flashpoint in the South China Sea.

 

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