62 Chinese vessels spotted in West Philippine Sea in April 2026 — AFP

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday said a total of 62 Chinese vessels were spotted in some West Philippine Sea (WPS) features in April 2026.

In a statement, AFP spokesperson for the WPS Roy Vincent Trinidad said People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were monitored in the following WPS features:

• Bajo de Masinloc – 24 vessels (9 PLANs, 15 CCGs)
• Ayungin Shoal – 12 vessels (two PLANs, 10 CCGs)
• Escoda Shoal – 17 vessels (nine PLANs, eight CCGs)
• Pag-asa Islands – nine vessels (one PLAN, eight CCGs)

This is lower compared to the 90 Chinese vessels seen in WPS last March.

Trinidad said the Chinese presence reflects continued “irregular, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive” actions that undermine the rules-based international order and threaten Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights.

“Despite these actions, the Philippine Navy and the AFP remain steadfast in fulfilling their resp mandates to uphold maritime security, maintaining a sustained focus on operational readiness, enhanced maritime domain awareness, and strengthened inter-agency coordination in addressing developments in the WPS,” Trinidad said.

Tensions continue as 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. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News