AFP: Chinese vessel presence in West Philippine Sea dips to 41 from 44 last week

The number of Chinese vessels monitored in several features in the West Philippine Sea slightly declined to 41 over the past week, down from 44 in the previous week, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Wednesday.

In an update, AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said vessels from the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and China Coast Guard (CCG) were observed from June 2 to 8 in the following areas:

• Ayungin Shoal – 16 vessels (3 PLAN, 13 CCG)
• Bajo de Masinloc – 13 vessels (9 PLAN, 4 CCG)
• Escoda Shoal – 9 vessels (3 PLAN, 6 CCG)
• Pag-asa Islands – 9 vessels (3 PLAN, 6 CCG)

PLAN vessels are warships of China’s military navy, operated under the People’s Liberation Army and used for combat, patrol, and other naval operations.

CCG vessels, meanwhile, are government-controlled ships that are not part of the navy but are used for maritime law enforcement activities, including patrols, policing, and asserting presence in disputed waters.

In a separate statement, Trinidad said that from May 1 to June 9, the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM), through its naval component Northern Luzon Naval Command (NLNC), conducted a total of 42 maritime patrol and maritime air surveillance missions.

Complementing these operations, the Philippine Navy also carried out six maritime cooperative activities within Philippine waters, consisting of three bilateral and three multilateral sail exercises with partner navies.

“The AFP remains committed to defend the nation’s sovereignty and sovereign rights while advancing defense cooperation with regional and international partners in support of national and regional security,” Trinidad said.

Tensions continue as Beijing asserts sweeping claims over almost the entire South China Sea, a major shipping route handling more than US$3 trillion in annual maritime trade, including waters also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Areas within Philippine jurisdiction in the South China Sea have been renamed by the government as the West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s sovereign claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago, including the Luzon Sea and 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, saying China’s claims had “no legal basis.”

China has rejected and refused to recognize the ruling.—MCG, GMA News