Chinese Coast Guard Blocks Philippine Team Pursuing Suspected Blast Fisher Near Pag-asa

China Coast Guard vessel 21581 shadowed and blocked a Philippine interagency team chasing a foreign boat suspected of dynamite fishing near Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, coming within about 10 yards of a PCG high-speed boat. A PLA Navy helicopter circled the team four times around 10:13 a.m., which the PCG called intimidation; the team abandoned the operation over safety concerns.