24 Chinese ships seen in Ayungin Shoal in ‘continuous pressure campaign’

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea – Philippine Navy, speaks to the members of the media during AFP Weekly Press Briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on February 4, 2025. INQUIRER.net file photo / ARNEL TACSON

MANILA, Philippines — The vicinity waters off Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal saw as many as 24 Chinese ships for the past few days in what a maritime expert deemed as a “continuous pressure campaign.”

Philippine Navy spokesperson Roy Vincent Trinidad said that “for the past four days”, there is a “steady number” of approximately 20 Chinese militia vessels and four China Coast Guard ships.

“For the past four days, the numbers have been fairly constant,” Trinidad said in a regular military press conference.

For his part, SeaLight director Ray Powell said over X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday: “China continues its pressure campaign against the Philippines’ BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal.”

However, at one point after August 20, Trinidad said the number of Chinese ships dipped to four militia vessels and two CCG ships “on account of the weather disturbances.”

On August 20, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Ayungin saw armed Chinese boats and water cannon exhibition in a show of aggression after the August 11 collision of Chinese ships in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

READ: Armed boats, water cannons seen in latest show of China aggression in Ayungin

A Chinese vessel was also seen deploying fishnets along the southeast approach of the shoal during that time, according to the AFP.

“Afterward, there was no such report of the laying of nets nor further reports on the approaches of the speed boats or the RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boats) close to BRP Sierra Madre,” Trinidad noted.

READ: Chinese tugboat seen near BRP Sierra Madre; PH Navy dismisses towing

BRP Sierra Madre has been one of the flashpoints in tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

China’s aggressive actions are in line with Beijing’s sovereignty claim in almost the entire South China Sea which was already invalidated by a 2016 Arbitral Award while ruling heavily in favor of Manila’s sovereign rights.

The June 17, 2024 rotation and resupply mission for BRP Sierra Madre saw the most violent confrontation by Manila and Beijing which led to serious injury of a Philippine Navy personnel. /jpv