A Chinese Coast Guard vessel dubbed the “monster ship” has entered waters near Mindoro, positioning itself just 80 nautical miles off the Philippine island in what local officials describe as a troubling development in the ongoing maritime tensions between the two nations.

The vessel, identified as CCG 5901, was tracked moving toward Lubang Island in Occidental Mindoro on Monday morning, after being initially detected near Zambales province over the weekend, according to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reports.

The Philippine Coast Guard has mobilized standby resources in response.

“We immediately deployed BRP Cabra along with aerial assets when we first detected the vessel,” said PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela.

The Chinese ship was initially spotted 54 nautical miles from Capones Island, Zambales – well within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

National Security Council assistant director general Jonathan Malaya told PTV that Philippine forces are maintaining continuous radio challenges to the Chinese vessel.

“BRP Cabra remains in the area, shadowing CCG 5901’s every movement,” he said.

While authorities express concern over the vessel’s presence, they note that it has not yet conducted any blocking maneuvers or shown aggressive behavior toward local fishing vessels.

“We are urging our fishermen to continue their normal activities while remaining vigilant,” Malaya added.

The PCG is using Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection system to track the Chinese vessel’s movements, showing the increasing technological cooperation between the country and its international partners in maritime security.

In a potentially related development, Philippine naval forces are examining an underwater drone discovered in San Pascual, Masbate.

While its origins remain unclear, PCG officials noted that Chinese forces have previously deployed similar devices within Philippine waters.

The presence of CCG 5901 near Mindoro is the latest in a series of maritime encounters between Philippine and Chinese vessels.

The Philippines has increasingly vocal about asserting its maritime rights, backed by international law and support from allies including the United States.