Push Admin

AFP: 129 Chinese ships monitored in West Philippine Sea in past week

Article (news)

Michael Delizo

ABS-CBN News

<p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">MANILA — Over 100 Chinese vessels have been monitored  in the West Philippine Sea — including two People’s Liberation Army Navy ships in Escoda or Sabina Shoal, an area that has recently seen heightened tensions — the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Tuesday.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;min-height:15px"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">In a media briefing at the military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said a total of 129 ships were monitored in the West Philippine Sea features from August 13 to 19.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;min-height:15px"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">Broken down, the military spokesperson said, there have been 18 coast guard, 13 navy, and 98 maritime militia ships spotted in Philippine waters. </p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;min-height:15px"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">The number is an increase from the 92 ships recorded from August 6 to 12. </p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/20/pcg-invites-china-to-negotiating-table-after-fresh-tensions-in-wps-1004">READ: PCG invites China to &#x27;negotiating table&#x27; after fresh tensions in WPS</a></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;min-height:15px"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Navy’s spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, however, said the number of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters is “still within the acceptable range” — or within the numbers observed in the past two to three months.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;min-height:15px"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">At one point, Trinidad said, there were 156 Chinese ships in Philippine waters.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;min-height:15px"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">“The presence of the CCG, the maritime militia, and the PLA Navy is illegal,” Trinidad said.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;min-height:15px"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">“Their actions are coercive and aggressive. Their messages are deceptive,” he also said. </p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;min-height:15px"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">He said the Philippine Navy will maintain its presence in the area as well.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">The Philippines has been more open about incidents in the West Philippine Sea and has been engaging security partners, including treaty ally and former colonizer the United States, as it asserts the 2016 arbitral ruling that found that China&#x27;s nine-dash-line claim has no basis in international law.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">China has refused to acknowledge the ruling and routinely blames incidents on the Philippine side.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">The policy-setting National Maritime Council on Tuesday scored China for the aggressive maneuvers of its ships that led to collisions with the coast guard’s BRP Bagacay and BRP Cape Engaño early Monday morning, but also said the Philippines will seek diplomatic and peaceful resolutions to disputes in the West Philippine Sea.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/13/philippines-protests-china-s-flare-use-vs-plane-1021">RELATED: Philippines protests China’s flare use vs plane</a></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p>&quot;The government remains committed to the President&#x27;s directive for a diplomatic approach and the peaceful resolution of disputes,&quot; it said, adding that Philippine operations in Philippine waters will continue.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">&quot;The Philippines will continue to uphold its rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea; sustain our routine maritime activities; and protect its territory and maritime zones from environmental degradation and other illegal activities,&quot; the NMC said.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MnfppBTdYUE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div>

<p>Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said the number of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters is “still within the acceptable range” — or within the numbers observed in the past two to three months.</p>

Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said the number of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters is “still within the acceptable range” — or within the numbers observed in the past two to three months.