China carrier battle group, amphibious ship spotted off PH north, east coasts

A Chinese carrier battle group and an amphibious assault ship were recently monitored passing the eastern and northeastern seaboards of the Philippines, the Philippine Navy said Tuesday.

"Over the weekend and last week, we have monitored a Chinese task group centered on an amphibious assault ship passing from the eastern seaboard of the Philippines beyond our exclusive economic zone," Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said at a press briefing.

"We have also noted the Liaoning carrier battle group on the northeastern part of Luzon close to Okinawa," he added.

Trinidad said the objectives of such group sails must be transparent and that the actions of these ships, including the embarked aircraft, must be "non-aggressive" and "abiding international law."

"Considering that the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan are all within the first island chain and as mentioned by the commander-in-chief that any action in Taiwan in Japan would surely impact on the Philippines, the AFP is monitoring developments now on a regional basis," Trinidad said.

"We have now shifted from [internal security operation, or ISO] monitoring without letting go of ISO. We are now expanding our monitoring to include the region," he added.

The Liaoning carrier battle group is composed of an aircraft carrier, two escort ships, and one replenishment ship. The amphibious assault ship task group, meanwhile, has a similar composition of the main ship, two escorts, and a replenishment vessel.

Trinidad said the Chinese assets were heading towards Palau or Australia.

Asked if China's supposed show of force was intended not only for Japan, but also Australia, Trinidad said:

"Without going into details, the expanded MDA of the AFP looks into all sorts of information. And I would like to highlight our enhanced defense relations with Japan, with Australia, with New Zealand, with Korea, among others."

"Secondly, historically this has been the path of a carrier battle group from the PLAN coming from mainland China. It transgresses the northern part of Luzon passing through Okinawa, Miyako Strait down our eastern seaboard, Palau, Australia, down to Indonesia to the Lombok Strait heading up to Sibutu Channel exiting in the South China Sea," he added.

For Trinidad, China's illegal presence will maintain the possibility of an escalation.

"So long as their illegal presence will remain, the possibility of escalation of all these coercive and aggressive actions will always remain," he said.

"And I would like to highlight that they are being conducted not only against the Armed Forces of the Philippines but even against the militaries of Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and other like-minded countries," he added. — VDV, GMA Integrated News