A Chinese research ship. PCG/File

MANILA – Chinese vessels have maintained their presence in the West Philippine Sea, with two research and survey ships spotted in Ayungin Shoal and Patag Island over the past several days. 

Based on data released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday, there were a total of 92 Chinese maritime militia vessels, People’s Liberation Army Navy ships, coast guard vessels, and research vessels from August 6 to 12.

This number is lower than the 122 ships recorded from July 30 to August 5.

China maintains presence in West Philippine Sea

The Philippines has been tracking China’s multi-purpose oceanographic research vessel Ke Xue San Hao which reportedly loitered in Escoda Shoal (Sabina Shoal) and Recto Bank. 

Earlier monitoring data indicated that the vessel departed from China’s military base in Panganiban Reef on July 26 and passed through several critical locations, including Ayungin Shoal, Raja Soliman Shoal, Bulig Shoal, Hasa-Hasa Shoal, and Abad Santos Shoal.

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China’s research vessel spotted in oil-rich Recto Bank

ESCODA

According to retired US Air Force officer Ray Powell, director of maritime initiative SeaLight, China’s massive coast guard vessel 5901, dubbed The Monster, has left Escoda Shoal after more than a month of face off with the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Teresa Magbanua.

The monster ship was, however, replaced by CCG 5303.

“The arrival of the 135-meter CCG 5303 likely means the end of the 165-meter CCG 5901's deployment to Sabina Shoal. The world's largest coast guard ship known as ‘The Monster’ arrived at Sabina on 3 July but has been ‘dark’ since 31 July,” Powell said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, six Xiong Sansha Yu militia ships also surrounded the  Philippine ship, while four to five smaller militia, known as Spratly Backbone vessels, were seen “rafted” together, according to Powell.

“China increased its presence at Sabina Shoal in early May, after it realized the Philippine Coast Guard's BRP Teresa Magbanua intended to remain indefinitely in order to contest China’s ongoing soft occupation and possible island-building activities,” Powell said. 

LUZON STRAIT

Powell also reported that between August 9 and 11, four of China’s 55-meter maritime militia ships from the Yue Tai Yu fleet entered the Luzon Strait (Balitang Channel) for  “unknown purposes, and in apparent violation of Philippine archipelagic sovereignty.”

“For an archipelagic state, under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, foreign ships are permitted only direct, ‘innocent passage’ through the straight baselines around the Philippine archipelago. Though AIS data is spotty, these four ships appear to have illegally loitered and reversed course within the Balintang Channel,” he said.