92 Chinese vessels monitored in West Philippine Sea from Aug. 6-12

FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy has monitored 92 Chinese vessels in various locations within the West Philippine Sea (WPS) from August 6 to 12 this year.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla reported that of this number, 10 were Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, nine were People’s Liberation Army Navy ships, 68 were Chinese maritime militia vessels, and two were research survey vessels.

Padilla further detailed that 10 of the 92 vessels were spotted in Panatag Shoal, 13 in Ayungin Shoal, 38 in the Pagasa Islands, five in Lawak Island, five in Panata Island, 13 in Sabina Shoal, four in Julian Felipe Reef, and 30 in Iroquois Reef.

READ: 122 Chinese vessels monitored in West Philippine Sea, Navy reports

Last week, the Navy reported that 122 Chinese vessels were spotted within WPS from July 30 to August 5.

This data shows a significant decrease compared to the 400 foreign ships – 85 percent from China — monitored last year.

On July 25, a CCG ship with bow No. 3301 was spotted “cruising” near Manila Bay, as revealed by US maritime expert Ray Powell.

READ: Fewer Chinese vessels, warships in West Philippine Sea amid talks

On the same day, the CCG ship was spotted 95 nautical miles from the mouth of Manila Bay in the morning and was seen “turning toward Scarborough Shoal” in the afternoon.