The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported on Tuesday that a total of 44 Chinese seacraft and coast guard vessels were detected in four key features of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) from June 23 to 29, a significant increase from the 17 vessels spotted during the previous monitoring period.
Vessel Distribution Across WPS Features
AFP spokesperson for the WPS, Navy reservist Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said in a message to reporters that the Chinese vessels were observed at Ayungin Shoal, Bajo de Masinloc, Escoda Shoal, and Pag-asa Islands. The breakdown includes:
- Ayungin Shoal – eight China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and one People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) naval craft;
- Bajo de Masinloc – 18 CCG vessels and nine PLAN warships;
- Escoda Shoal – two CCG ships and two PLAN vessels;
- Pag-asa Islands – one CCG vessel and three PLAN ships.
Comparison to Previous Monitoring Period
The total of 44 vessels is substantially higher than the 17 detected during the June 16 to 22 monitoring period. The AFP earlier attributed the lower number of Chinese vessels in that timeline to inclement weather conditions.
