A total of 41 Chinese warships and China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were monitored over some features in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in May, according to the Philippine Navy on Tuesday.
In an update, the Philippine Navy said the following Chinese ships have been monitored in different WPS features from May 1 to 31:
· Bajo de Masinloc – 15 CCG vessels, 11 People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships
· Ayungin Shoal – six CCG vessels, one PLAN ship
· Pagasa Island – four CCG vessels, four PLAN ships
In the same period, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spotted 15,765 vessels across the archipelago. Of which, 12,608 were foreign vessels. The AFP said a total of 1,349 vessels did not respond to radio challenges.
“The majority of these incidents were recorded in Pagasa (665 vessels), Tubbataha (184 vessels), and Ayungin Shoal (125 vessels)—areas of high interest due to their proximity to other maritime zones,” the AFP said.
“This sustained operational tempo reflects the unwavering focus on maritime domain awareness and the enforcement of our sovereign rights,” it added.
The WPS 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.
