The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has rejected assertions by Chinese academics that the northern province of Batanes is Chinese territory by virtue of its connection to Taiwan. At the same time, military officials confirmed that Chinese research vessels continue to sail through the area.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, July 14, retired Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the AFP’s spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, explained that Chinese research vessels have been active near Batanes for three years and that this maritime presence is independent of the scholars’ recent rhetorical assertions.
“The illegal presence that we monitor every now and then is the passing through the illegal tracks of the research vessels which are being monitored and challenged by the Philippine Coast Guard and by BFAR [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources],” Trinidad stated.
He pointed out that the physical activity at sea and the conceptual claims by Chinese intellectuals are distinct matters.
“It’s not in any way related to the claim of the academics,” he clarified.
These controversial statements surfaced during a June 30 seminar in Guangzhou, China. Scholars representing various Chinese institutions contended that Batanes acts as a “natural geographical extension” of Taiwan. Operating on Beijing’s stance that Taiwan is part of China, the scholars argued that Batanes should also be treated as Chinese territory.
The academic assertions drew widespread attention after being published by Chinese state-linked media outlets in early July.
Philippine maritime forces have frequently intercepted Chinese research vessels near the northern islands. In 2025, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) tracked the vessel Zhong Shan Da Xue off Itbayat. This was followed by unauthorized entries into the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by the Xiang Yang Hong 10, Zhuhai Yun, and other Chinese ships.
More recently, in May of this year, the PCG mobilized ships and aircraft to intercept and challenge the Xiangyanghong 33, Shi Yan 1, Jia Geng, and Zhuhaiyun. Philippine authorities identified these as specialized research vessels carrying out unauthorized marine scientific research within the nation’s EEZ near Batanes.
The Philippines continues to stand firm on its sovereign rights over its EEZ. This stance is backed by the historic 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling, which rejected China’s expansive maritime assertions defined by its “nine-dash line”.