49 Chinese coast guard, navy ships monitored in WPS in June

MANILA, July 9 ------ The number of Chinese vessels monitored in the West Philippine Sea has increased in June, according to the Philippine Navy. Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said a total of 49 Chinese ships were seen in the following features: 9 China Coast Guard (CCG) and 14 People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels in Bajo de Masinloc; 12 CCG and 2 PLAN vessels in Ayungin Shoal; and 9 CCG and 3 PLAN vessels near Pag-asa Island. “These 49 ships were not there all the time, but they were in and out of the different features,” Trinidad told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

The official noted that the June record was the highest reported number of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea so far this year. In January, only 11 CCG and PLAN ships were monitored, followed by 9 in February, 35 in March, 31 in April, and 41 in May. “We have to look at it from the perspective of probably, the weather or the deployment cycle,” Trinidad said. “As it is right now, we have no direct reference on the tactical implications of bakit tumaas to 49 from last month's number of 41… Probably it will be a factor of the weather or the deployment cycle, maintenance and repair,” he added.

The 49 CCG and PLAN vessels were among the 15,305 ships monitored all over the archipelago in June. Of the number, 2,954 were domestic vessels while 12,302 were international vessels.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com