Trinidad: 55 Chinese ships spotted in West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 55 Chinese ships were monitored within the vicinity of the maritime features in the West Philippine Sea.

Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, on Tuesday said that of the 55 ships, 48 were suspected Chinese maritime militia vessels (CMMVs), six were under the China Coast Guard vessel (CCGVs), while one was from the People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN).

These were monitored as of Monday, 4:30 p.m., according to Trinidad.

READ: Uptick of Chinese vessels seen in Scarborough Shoal – AFP

Trinidad said two CCGVs and 24 CMMVs were seen in Scarborough Shoal, and one CCGV and five CMMVs were also monitored in Ayungin Shoal.

The resupply activity of BRP Sierra Madre grounded in Ayungin Shoal and the humanitarian activities in Scarborough Shoal have become the flashpoint of tensions between Manila and Beijing.

Meanwhile, one CCGV and 19 CMMVs were seen near Pagasa Island, the largest island in the Kalayaan Island Group serving as the seat of the local government of the Municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan.

Additionally, two CMMVs were seen near Panata Island and one PLAN warship was monitored in the proximity of Lawak Island.

No sightings of Chinese vessels were seen in other maritime features in the West Philippine Sea.

Beijing asserts sovereignty in the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea, even if such a claim has been effectively invalidated by a July 2016 international tribunal ruling that stemmed from a case filed by Manila in 2013.