PH Navy: 20 China Coast Guard vessels, warships seen in WPS first week of December

A total of 20 China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships were spotted in different West Philippine Sea (WPS) features during the first week of December, the Philippine Navy said Tuesday.

At a press briefing, Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said 14 CCG vessels and six PLAN ships were seen in four WPS features:

• Bajo de Masinloc — five CCG vessels and two PLAN ships
• Ayungin Shoal — six CCGs and one PLAN
• Escoda Shoal — two CCGs and one PLAN
• Pag-asa Island — one CCG and two PLANs

Trinidad noted that 101 Chinese maritime militia vessels were also spotted during the recent maritime domain awareness flights by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) over the WPS.

For Trinidad, the number of Chinese maritime militia vessels is considered “normal.”

“This is a normal number considering that the total number of maritime militia vessels in the WPS is from 300 to 350. So the 101 is a normal number. It is not unusual to have this number in our different features in the WPS,” he said.

“These are those double-hatted ships. Sometimes they are fisherfolks. At times they are part of the Chinese Militia Commission as their force multipliers. We address them by monitoring them and by consistently patrolling our areas together with the Coast Guard and the [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources],” he added.

Trinidad noted that the Philippine military is focusing on the presence of CCG and PLAN ships.

Asked if the Philippine Navy will change its tactics, Trinidad said, “The tactics, techniques, and procedures of the AFP including the Philippine Navy are under the purview of Western Command and Northern Luzon Command. Whatever changes they have there, they send up to Joint Headquarters for approval and implementation once approved.”

“So far, there has been no major change in the way that we are doing our posture in the WPS to include Bajo de Masinloc and the northern islands,” he added.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has refused to recognize the decision. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News