Navy sees twofold increase of Chinese vessels near Pag-asa Island

MANILA, Philippines — The number of Chinese vessels loitering near Pag-asa (Thitu) Island surged twofold last week, rising from 25 to 50, according to Philippine Navy data released on Tuesday, October 1. 

The Navy also spotted 17 Chinese warships scattered across 12 features in the West Philippine Sea from September 24 to 30.  

China’s overall show of force in the West Philippine Sea has gone down to 178 vessels, based on the Navy’s latest weekly monitoring data. This is at least 30% less than the record 251 Chinese vessels spotted from the previous week of September 17 to 23. 

Most Chinese vessels spotted near Pag-asa Island were Chinese maritime militia vessels (46), while two were Chinese Coast Guard vessels and People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships, respectively.

Of the 17 PLAN ships spotted in the Philippines’ waters, five were seen near Escoda (Sabina) Shoal. Two were spotted in Ayungin Shoal, Pag-asa Island, and Iroquois Reef, respectively. Meanwhile, one warship was seen near Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc), Parola Island, Likas Island, Lawak Island, Panata Island, and Rizal Reef.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said last week that the Navy sees China’s presence in the disputed waters as illegal regardless of which feature sees a surge in Chinese vessels.

"We do not look at this from the perspective of one shoal at a time. We look at the entire West Philippine Sea," Trinidad said.

"The numbers could swing from one particular shoal to another. They could surge number of ships to a particular shoal. We don't care. What is important is we still have the freedom of action to continue performing our mandate," the Navy official said.

The disputed South China Sea has been a site of hostilities between Chinese and Filipino vessels as Beijing continues to press its claim to almost the entire area, even waters that are considered the West Philippine Sea.

China has repeatedly refused to recognize a 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its so-called nine-dash line in the South China Sea. It claims key features in the West Philippine Sea as features it has sovereignty over, including Pag-asa Island, which it calls Zhongye.

Pag-asa Island, the largest of the nine features occupied by the Philippines in the Spratly Islands, is under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan province. It is home to approximately 100 civilians and a small military garrison.