MANILA, Philippines — Even though China’s “monster” ship left the coast of Zambales, the vessel remains within the country’s exclusive economic zone, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

PCG Spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Jay Tarriela said in a statement late Tuesday evening that the Chinese Coast Guard vessel “The Monster” known for its sheer size, was spotted 19 nautical miles from Bajo De Masinloc.

“As of 9 PM this evening, current monitoring by the PCG indicates that the vessel commonly referred to as the ‘monster ship,’ CCG-5901, is now 113 nautical miles away from Zambales but remains within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at a distance of 19 nautical miles from Bajo De Masinloc,” he said.

The official also noted that after the monster ship left the Zambales coast, it was replaced by another China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel operating “illegally” in the province, approximately 60 to 70 nautical miles away.

At the same time, CCG-3304 was replaced by another Chinese vessel with bow number 3103. Although this new vessel is smaller than its predecessor, it measures 77.7 meters in length and 10.4 meters in width, making it significantly larger than the 44-meter BRP Suluan.

CCG-3304 is now approximately 105 nautical miles from Zambales, moving closer to Bajo de Masinloc at a distance of 28 nautical miles. Meanwhile, CCG-3103 continues its illegal patrol off the coast of Zambales, currently positioned 76 nautical miles from Pundaquit, Zambales, the official said.

Tensions between Chinese and Philippine authorities continue to escalate as Beijing asserts its so-called “historical” claims over the disputed maritime area, while the Philippines upholds the arbitral award from the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, which ruled that China has no legal authority in the West Philippine Sea.

Beijing remains dismissive of the international tribunal’s ruling, prompting Chinese authorities to bolster their resources and maintain a strong presence in key areas of the West Philippine Sea.