10-9-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Concerns over territorial disputes in the South China Sea have intensified as Chinese military and Coast Guard vessels were reportedly observed within Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) near an oil rig off the coast of Sarawak on Saturday.
SeaLight.live director Raymond Powell raised the alarm via social media, stating that a Chinese light frigate, identified as the 053H3 Jiangwei Class Two, was last detected at Ubi Reef before its Automatic Information System (AIS) was deactivated, obscuring its current position.
????UPDATE 2: ????????#Malaysia‘s KD Sundang is now shadowing ????????#China‘s Ke Xue San Hao research ship, which has been conducting an illegal survey at Ardasier Bank within ????????’s exclusive economic zone. pic.twitter.com/tAGuWBZBkn
— Ray Powell (@GordianKnotRay) September 7, 2024
Powell’s analysis of maritime traffic in the area also suggested that the Royal Malaysian Navy had responded by deploying KD Sundang and KD Selangor to join the Malaysian Maritime vessel KM Arau at Terumbu Ubi, indicating a heightened state of vigilance in response to the Chinese presence.
This development comes amidst growing tensions in the South China Sea, with recent clashes between Chinese and Philippine coast guards exacerbating regional unease. The latest such incident was reported on 31 August, underscoring the volatile nature of the territorial disputes in these waters.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, a Philippine media outlet recently unveiled a Diplomatic Note from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing, dated February of this year. The note expressed China’s objection to Malaysian oil exploration activities in the areas known to Malaysia as Beting Raja Jarum and Beting Patinggi Ali.
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously sought to reassure local fishermen and anglers about the presence of Chinese Coast Guard vessels in the vicinity of Beting Patinggi Ali. However, last Thursday, Anwar adopted a firmer stance, insisting that Malaysia would continue its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea despite Chinese objections to what Beijing perceives as boundary transgressions.
