20 Chinese coast guard, naval ships spotted in WPS early December
Baku, December 9, AZERTAC
The Philippine Navy (PN) has monitored 20 Chinese coast guard and naval ships in four critical areas of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) during the first week of December, most of them in Bajo de Masinloc and Ayungin Shoal, according to PNA.
In a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday, PN spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said five Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and two People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships were monitored in Bajo de Masinloc during the period.
Seven Chinese ships — six CCG and one PLAN — were also monitored in Ayungin Shoal, he added.
Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, while Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan. Both are within the Philippines' 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
"For Escoda (Shoal), two CCG and one PLAN, and for Pag-asa (Island), one CCG and two PLAN ships," Trinidad said.
The PN official said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has reported seeing 101 Chinese maritime vessels in the WPS during its recent maritime awareness flight, but he quickly added that this is "normal" as the usual numbers are between 300 to 350 ships.
"So, 101 is a normal number. It is not unusual to have this number in our different features in the WPS. Again, these are the (Chinese) maritime militia, not the CCG and the PLAN," Trinidad said.
China is claiming virtually the entire South China Sea, including maritime territories and features within the WPS that are within the Philippine EEZ, despite a 2016 arbitral ruling invalidating its expansive claim.
In refusing to honor the ruling, Chinese vessels continuously engage in laser-pointing, dangerous blocking maneuvers and ramming of Philippine vessels en route to Ayungin Shoal, actions Manila has denounced as violations of international law.
The Marcos administration has taken a firmer stance in the WPS, expanding joint patrols, filing more diplomatic protests, and pushing transparency by publicly releasing videos of Chinese maneuvers against Philippine ships.
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