Chinese ships in WPS reach record high 251

The number of Chinese vessels swarming various parts of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has now reached a new record high of 251, of which 153 are concentrated within the vicinity of Ayungin and Escoda (Sabina) Shoals.

- MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN

From only seven monitored during the period from Sept. 10 to 16, the Philippine Navy said there were 16 People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships spotted inside the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) during the last week.

Eleven of the military vessels were seen in the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 16 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats and 55 maritime militia vessels (MMVs).

Around Ayungin Shoal, where the grounded BRP Sierra Madre remains, the Philippine Navy monitored nine CCG vessels and 62 MMVS, along with one research vessel.

In sum, there were 16 PLAN warships, 28 CCG boats, 204 MMVs and three Chinese research vessels seen in 13 different features or locations within the country's EEZ from Sept. 17 to 23, compared to a total of only 157 during the previous week.

Asked if the significant increase can be considered as alarming, Philippine Navy spokesman for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the presence of Chinese vessels in the WPS "have been illegal since we started monitoring them." “The alarm has already been raised 25 years ago when they started reclamation activities or they started the illegal presence in the West Philippine Sea," Trinidad told reporters at a press briefing.

Still, he noted that the number is still within the force projection capability of the total number of MMVs that China has in the entire South China Sea (SCS).

"So as I mentioned in the previous press conferences, they swing this around from the different maritime coastal states, from Vietnam, from Malaysia, sometimes from the different bases they have in Mischief or Subi or Johnson (Reefs)," he explained.

Weather is one factor to consider in the changes in the number of Chinese vessels in the WPS, according to Trinidad, who admitted that 251 is the highest number of Chinese vessels in the disputed waters.

"For whatever reason, I don't want to speculate on that. We continue monitoring.