The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) called on China to exercise greater caution during maritime operations in the West Philippine Sea, following Beijing’s recent admission that two of its coast guard personnel died in a vessel collision while pursuing a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship near Bajo de Masinloc.
Speaking on Tuesday, August 11, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, highlighted that the fatal incident underscores the vital necessity for all seafaring nations to strictly abide by established international law and navigation safety rules.
“In the conduct of AFP operations, mission accomplishment and safety of the men and women involved are always paramount,” Trinidad stated.
“It is for these reasons that all our actions have to be professional, have to be within established protocols, and backed up by international law,” he added.
The incident occurred exactly one year prior, on August 11, 2025, when China Coast Guard cutter “Nanyu” (3104) collided with People’s Liberation Army-Navy Type 052D destroyer (164) while aggressively chasing the PCG vessel BRP Suluan.
Chinese state media recently disclosed the deaths of coast guard officers Yi Xinyu, 21, and Cheng Long, 25, posthumously honoring them with first-class merit citations as “martyrs” who died during a “rights defense operation.”
Responding to Beijing’s characterization of the casualties, Trinidad reiterated the critical importance of standard navigation guidelines, such as the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), to prevent dangerous accidents.
“It is for these reasons that to prevent any untoward loss of life at sea, all our actions by any nation, any seafaring nation, will have to be professional, will have to be within the bounds of established protocols, such as the rules of the road, COLREGs and other established protocols, and backed up by international law,” Trinidad emphasized.
“We reiterate that unsafe and unprofessional maneuvers at sea increase the risk of accidents and endanger lives,” he noted. “Again, it is for this reason that we maintain that all our actions have to be professional.”
Philippine authorities continue to condemn China’s history of reckless and hostile maneuvers against domestic vessels conducting routine missions within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.