Quezon city: A total of 30 Chinese military and coast guard ships were monitored off four Philippine-held features in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official said Tuesday. In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, PN spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, provided details on the sightings.

According to Philippines News Agency, as of 5 p.m. on Monday, there were four People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships and eight China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels off Bajo de Masinloc. Additionally, one PLAN ship and six CCG vessels were seen off Ayungin Shoal, while another PLAN ship and five CCG vessels were spotted in Escoda Shoal. Pag-asa Island had no PLAN vessels but was surrounded by five CCG ships.

No specific details were provided regarding the exact timing of these sightings or their proximity to the four WPS features. Trinidad mentioned that the number of ships might decrease with the approach of Tropical Depression Verbena, which is expected to impact the WPS.

Trinidad noted that while there were no coercive actions from the Chinese ships, their presence in the area is considered "illegal." The WPS is part of the broader South China Sea, a region claimed entirely by Beijing. However, the Philippines secured a landmark international arbitration ruling in 2016 invalidating China's expansive claims, a decision that Beijing has consistently ignored.

The PN continues to patrol and monitor the WPS with the cooperation of the Philippine Air Force (PAF). Trinidad stated, "At any time, we have an ongoing patrol on air and the sea by the PN and the PAF," with patrol operations overseen by the Northern Luzon Command and Western Command.