China's coast guard authorities on Tuesday said one of its ships patrolling waters near Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea had been harassed by a Philippine vessel which had attempted to smear the Chinese side by taking staged photos.
The incident took place on Monday morning, when the Philippine coast guard ship 4409 dangerously approached the Chinese vessel Zhongnan in waters near Huangyan Dao, crossing close to the bow of the Chinese vessel four times, according to the China Coast Guard (CCG).
After repeated warnings and regulatory measures taken by the CCG, the Philippine vessel was eventually repelled from the area, the authorities said, adding that the Philippine side later attempted to disregard the facts and distort the truth by using media platforms to hype up the incident.
The actions of the Philippine side seriously violated relevant provisions of international law and maritime collision prevention regulations, the CCG said. By illegally and dangerously approaching the Chinese vessel, which was on a lawful mission, the Philippine ship threatened the safety of the Chinese personnel and ship, it noted.
The CCG responded professionally and in a lawful manner, the authorities stressed. In addition, the CCG vowed to resolutely counter any provocation by Philippine vessels in order to safeguard China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
Philippine vessel stages provocative actions near Huangyan Dao: China Coast Guard
Philippine vessel stages provocative actions near Huangyan Dao: China Coast Guard
Philippine vessel stages provocative actions near Huangyan Dao: China Coast Guard
Philippine vessel stages provocative actions near Huangyan Dao: Chinese coast guard
Ningbo Zhoushan Port in east China's Zhejiang Province is demonstrating resilience in the face of U.S. tariffs by launching new trade routes and adapting swiftly to evolving market demands.
Ningbo, a hub for international trade, has further strengthened its position by embracing innovative solutions such as direct maritime routes and enhanced connectivity to Europe.
Building on this resilience, Ningbo Zhoushan Port unveiled the "China-Europe Express" in December 2024, a direct maritime route to Europe offering seamless "point-to-point" service. This innovation not only slashes shipment times but also reinforces the port's adaptability to global trade challenges.
"Previously, cargo shipped from Hefei City in east China to Europe went through the China-Europe Railway Express or traditional sea routes, which took about 40 days. Now, it only takes 27 days on the Anhui-Ningbo-Europe express route," said Gu Xuhui, marketing director for Zhejiang Seaport Logistics.
The express route connects the "China-Europe Express" with a freight railway from east China’s Anhui Province to facilitate more exporters.
Europe has become one of the major destinations for the port.
"Between January and April, we handled 1.31 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TUEs), up six to seven percentage points year on year," said He Binli, vice manager of Operations with Ningbo Daxie Container Terminal.
While the port is fully prepared for potential foreign trade fluctuations, exporters in the city are also shifting their focus to other markets.
Xu Ziyang, a seasoned medical equipment exporter, began preparing as early as 2017, driven by concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies towards China.
"[U.S. tariffs] have had little impact on us. In fact, we started adjusting back in 2017 to 2019, during his previous term. We aligned with China’s national strategy to expand into Belt and Road countries, as well as South American and African markets," said Xu, general manager of Ningbo Greeted Medical Instruments.
Xu’s sales jumped by 12 percent in 2024, and he expects continued growth this year.
Ningbo Zhoushan Port demonstrates resilience amid trade challenges
