West PH Sea: AFP logs 44 Chinese vessels, up from 17

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) monitored 44 Chinese vessels across four key features in the West Philippine Sea over the past week, more than double the 17 recorded the previous week.

AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said Tuesday that the vessels were monitored from June 23 to 29 around Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, and Pag-asa (Thitu) Island.

The AFP attributed the lower number of Chinese vessels monitored the previous week to inclement weather.

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READ: West PH Sea logs increase in Chinese ships to 36 this week – AFP

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Most of the vessels were monitored near Panatag Shoal, where the AFP recorded 27 vessels—18 China Coast Guard (CCG) ships and 9 People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships. The shoal lies about 220 kilometers west of Luzon, well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It has remained under Chinese control since a 2012 standoff.

Near Ayungin Shoal, the AFP monitored nine vessels—eight CCG vessels and one PLAN warship. The low-tide elevation lies about 194 kilometers west of Palawan.

Escoda Shoal had four vessels, consisting of two CCG vessels and two PLAN warships. The feature lies about 195 kilometers west of Palawan.

The AFP also monitored four vessels around Pag-asa Island—three PLAN warships and one CCG vessel. The island lies about 528 kilometers west of Palawan.

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READ: WPS: New Chinese research ship spotted near Panatag after platform removal

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, waters in the western portion of the country’s 370-kilometer EEZ.

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Beijing continues to ignore a 2016 ruling by an international arbitral tribunal that nullified its claims and upheld Manila’s sovereign rights over these waters. /dl

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