35 Chinese ships seen in 4 key WPS features from mid-September

MANILA, September 27 ------ A total of 35 Chinese naval and coast guard ships were spotted in four key West Philippine Sea (WPS) features from Sept. 15 to 21, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said.

In a message to reporters, retired Navy reservist Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson for the WPS, said the ships were spotted in Ayungin Shoal, Bajo de Masinloc, Escoda Shoal, and the Pag-asa Islands. He said the latest figures are lower than the 48 monitored from Sept. 8 to 14.

Of the total, four China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and seven People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels were monitored in Ayungin Shoal, 10 CCG and six PLAN vessels in Bajo de Masinloc, four CCG vessels in Escoda Shoal, and three CCG and one PLAN in Pag-asa Islands.

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, in a briefing at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, said the military will continue carrying out naval and air patrols in the WPS as part of its "territorial and maritime security operations". "These operations are conducted in accordance with Philippine laws, international law, and established rules and procedures while respecting the rights and safety of all personnel operating in the area," she added.

Source: pna.gov.ph