35 Chinese vessels spotted near key features in WPS

AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad —NAVY.MIL.PH

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Tuesday said it monitored a total of 35 Chinese vessels in four key features of the West Philippine Sea last week.

AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinindad, said the Chinese ships were tracked from May 4 to May 11 near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, and Pag-asa (Thitu) Island.

A total of 17 Chinese vessels were found at Panatag, composed of nine from the China Coast Guard (CCG) and eight from the People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN). The shoal is about 220 kilometers from Luzon, well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

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On the other hand, there was one PLAN ship and six CCG vessels at Ayungin Shoal, three PLAN ships and two CCG vessels at Escoda, and one PLAN ship and five CCG vessels around Pag-asa Island.

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China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea and continues to ignore a 2016 ruling by an international arbitral tribunal that nullified its sweeping claims. /cb