AFP: 2 China warships seen near PH-India patrol in West PH Sea

Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3302 shown in this file photo. On Monday, Filipino officials say two Chinese warships were monitored near PH-India West PH Sea sail. Photo courtesy of PCG.

MANILA, Philippines — Two Chinese warships were monitored during the country’s joint sail with India in the West Philippine Sea, the military said on Monday.

The joint patrol of Manila and Delhi developed as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited India upon the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Sunday, Indian warships guided missile destroyer INS (Indian Naval Ship) Delhi, anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kiltan, and fleet tanker INS Shakti joined the guided missile frigate BRP Miguel Malvar in its joint patrol in the West Philippine Sea.

READ: 23 Chinese vessels spotted in WPS, says Navy official

During the patrol, the country’s guided missile frigate monitored People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) warships Jiangkai II Class frigate with bow number 551 and Luyang Class destroyer with bow number 161, according to Lt. Col. John Paul Salgado assistant chief of the  Armed Forces of the Philippines’ public affairs office.

Salgado said the Jiangkai frigate was monitored 10 nautical miles (NM), while the Luyang destroyer was monitored 15 NM away from BRP Miguel Malvar.

Nevertheless, Salgado noted that the maritime cooperative activity “proceeded without interference from the PLA-N vessels.”

“However, they are being continuously monitored and tracked,” he said in a statement.

READ: Indian survey ship in PH after longest-ever voyage

The country has sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea and is entitled to conduct economic activities in the western section of its exclusive economic zone, but other nations are still entitled to freedom of navigation and overflight there.

PLA-N’s presence is in line with Beijing’s assertion of sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea, but the July 2016 arbitral award already invalidated this while ruling heavily in favor of Manila’s sovereign rights.

Manila and Delhi conducted drills in the West Philippine Sea back in 2021. /mr