Quezon city: A total of 41 Chinese vessels, comprising coast guard, militia, and naval ships, were detected in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) during the first week of January, a senior official from the Philippine Navy (PN) reported on Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the PN spokesperson for the WPS, detailed the sightings during a press briefing held at Camp Aguinaldo. He noted the presence of these ships in four critical areas of the WPS. At Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, there were two People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy ships, three Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, and three Maritime Militia boats, totaling eight vessels. In Ayungin Shoal, or Second Thomas Shoal, there were no PLA Navy ships, but six CCG and eight Maritime Militia vessels, making a total of 14.
Escoda Shoal, also referred to as Sabina Shoal, saw the presence of 13 vessels, including three PLA Navy ships, six from the CCG, and four Maritime Militia boats. In Pagasa, no PLA Navy ships were noted, but four CCG and two Maritime Militia vessels were spotted, totaling six. Overall, the PN reported a total of 41 different ships and boats from the PLA Navy, the CCG, and the Maritime Militia across these four key locations.
When asked if the presence of these vessels was a cause for concern, Trinidad indicated that a more precise assessment would be provided at the end of the month. He mentioned that the average sighting in the previous year was 25 Chinese ships per month. "When we look at trends and patterns, we usually look at it over a monthly period, not weekly," he said.
Trinidad emphasized that while the presence of these Chinese ships is illegal, they are not yet considered threatening. "But compared to the data that we have, these are still within the normal numbers that we monitor," he added.
On the topic of Philippine fishermen, Trinidad discussed a recent incident involving Chinese harassment of a Philippine fishing boat in Bajo de Masinloc. The incident, which occurred on January 12, involved the FFB Prince LJ being subjected to aggressive actions by the PLA Navy and China Coast Guard. He asserted that these actions were intended to deter Filipino fishermen from pursuing their livelihoods in the contested waters. "These are coercive and aggressive actions designed to destroy the will to fish of our fishermen," Trinidad stated.
In response to these developments, Trinidad affirmed that the Philippine Navy has intensified its activities in the WPS. "We have escalated our activities. Our patrols, our presence in the year 2025 compared to 2024. And we could, we will continue this with the arrival of newer platforms, newer aircraft," he concluded.
