The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recently reported the sighting of 35 Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) from May 4 to May 11.
Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson for the WPS, confirmed that these vessels were located near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, and Pag-asa (Thitu) Island.
At Panatag Shoal, 17 Chinese vessels were detected, including nine from the China Coast Guard (CCG) and eight from the People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN). This area lies approximately 220 kilometers from Luzon, which falls within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
Additionally, the monitoring revealed one PLAN ship and six CCG vessels at Ayungin Shoal, three PLAN ships and two CCG vessels at Escoda Shoal, and one PLAN ship accompanied by five CCG vessels around Pag-asa Island.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, and has consistently disregarded a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal that invalidated its extensive claims.