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China has deployed a buoy vessel to the West Philippine Sea, according to ship tracking data, just days after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) placed navigational buoys at Philippine-claimed features in the contested waters.
It was not immediately clear why China deployed its largest beacon vessel, the 73-meter-long Haixun173, to the area. According to a state-run report by China Global Television Network during the ship’s commissioning in 2020, the vessel is mainly responsible for setting up buoys and conducting patrols and inspections in the South China Sea.
