MANILA, Philippines — As Philippine authorities struggle to access the West Philippine Sea, China has continuously increased its presence with over 122 vessels in the critical areas of the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Navy said.
This figure is up from 104 Chinese vessels last week.
“From the period July 30 to Aug. 5, 2024, the total Chinese vessels in the area are 122,” AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said in a press briefing.
She reported that 106 Chinese maritime militia vessels, 12 China Coast Guard ships, and three People’s Liberation Army Navy ships were recently seen in the area.
These vessels were spotted around Bajo de Masinloc, Ayungin Shoal, Pagasa Island, Lawak Island, Panata Island, Patag Island, Sabina Shoal, Julian Felipe Reef, and Iroquois Reef.
The monitored distribution of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea is as follows:
The distribution of monitored Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea is as follows:
Bajo de Masinloc: three China Coast Guard(CCG) ships, six Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels, one People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ship
Ayungin Shoal: five CCG ships, eight CMM vessels
Pag-asa Island: one CCG ship, 37 CMM vessels
Kota Island: two CMM vessels
Lawak Island: one CCG ship, four CMM vessels
Panata Island: two PLAN ships, three CMM vessels
Patag Island: one CCG ship
Escoda Shoal: one CCG ship, 12 CMM vessels, one Chinese research vessel
Julian Felipe Reef: four CMM vessels
Rozul Reef (Iroquois Reef): 30 CMM vessels
Reports showed that Chinese presence in the West Philippine Sea decreased from July 16 to 22 due to adverse weather conditions caused by Super Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon.
But during the Balikatan exercises from May 14 to 20, the number of Chinese ships in the area peaked at 153, marking the highest count in recent months.
Philippine Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said that the China Coast Guard’s largest vessel CCG 5901, known as the “monster ship,” remains near Escoda Shoal. But the vessel does not seem to pose a threat or engage in a standoff with the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Teresa Magbanua.
Former U.S. Air Force official and defense attaché Ray Powell reported that the Chinese research vessel Ke Xue San Hao has been surveying around Escoda Shoal since July 25 and was 40 nautical miles off Palawan.
Escoda Shoal, also known as Sabina Shoal, is located 75 nautical miles (about 140 kilometers) off Palawan and is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.
Trinidad said that the Chinese survey ship did not request permission to conduct marine scientific research from Philippine authorities.
“We have to leave it up to our appropriate government agency (Department of Foreign Affairs) how to deal with hydrographic surveys or marine scientific research within our [exclusive economic zone],” he said.
China claims extensive ownership of the West Philippine Sea, building infrastructure in disputed waters and harassing Filipino fishermen. In 2016, an international tribunal in The Hague ruled that China’s claims had “no legal basis” and that the contested maritime region is a Philippine territory but China has rejected this ruling.
