MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) monitored 62 Chinese naval and coast guard vessels across key features in the West Philippine Sea in April, as part of continued maritime surveillance operations within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
AFP spokesperson for West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad (Res.) said the vessels were tracked from April 1 to 30, across four key features: Panatag Shoal, Ayungin Shoal, Escoda Shoal, and Pag-asa Island.
Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal recorded the highest presence with 24 Chinese vessels, consisting of nine People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships and 15 China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels. The shoal is about 220 kilometers from Luzon in the West Philippine Sea, well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It has remained under Chinese control since a 2012 standoff with the Philippine Navy.
Ayungin Shoal saw 12 vessels, including two PLAN ships and 10 CCG vessels. The low-tide elevation is located 194 km off Palawan.
Escoda Shoal followed with 17 vessels — nine PLAN ships and eight CCG vessels — and lies about 195 km west of Palawan.
Nine vessels were also monitored around Pag-asa Island, composed of one PLAN ship and eight CCG vessels. The island is about 528 km west of Palawan.
READ: West PH Sea: Navy monitors over 60 Chinese vessels in February
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.
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.
Radio challenges
The AFP also reported a broader maritime monitoring tally of 21,052 vessels across the country’s maritime domain for April.
Of these, 3,528 were domestic vessels and 17,524 were foreign vessels.
The AFP said 14,343 vessels responded to radio challenges, while 6,709 did not.
“These monitor and challenge procedures are integral to the AFP’s efforts to assert presence, maintain situational awareness and enforce lawful maritime protocols,” Trinidad said.
He said the continued presence of Chinese vessels reflects ongoing activities that “undermine the rules-based international order” and affect Philippine territorial integrity and sovereign rights.
Despite these developments, the AFP said it remains committed to sustaining maritime security operations, enhancing maritime domain awareness, and strengthening inter-agency coordination in the West Philippine Sea. /jpv
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