AFP monitors Chinese aircraft carrier, amphibious assault ship task groups near PH waters

MANILA, December 10 ------ The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has monitored two Chinese naval task groups transiting the northeastern part and eastern seaboard of the Philippines beyond its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) over the past week.

Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the monitoring is part of the AFP’s move to expand its maritime domain awareness (MDA) operations “to the region.” “With the shift of the AFP from internal security to territorial defense, we have expanded our MDA capability. Over the weekend and past week, we have monitored a Chinese task group centered on an amphibious assault ship passing on the eastern seaboard of the Philippines beyond our EEZ,” Trinidad told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. “We have also noted the Liaoning carrier battle group on the northeastern part of Luzon, close to Okinawa (Japan),” he added.

The amphibious assault ship task group consisted of the main amphibious platform, two escort ships, and one replenishment ship. According to Trinidad, the vessels were moving south towards Palau and Australia. “They were sailing on a southward direction, passing on the eastern seaboard outside of our EEZ,” the official noted. “They were just passing through, not even within our EEZ.

Trinidad described the route as a historically consistent navigation path of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. “Historically, this has been the path of the carrier battle group from the PLA Navy—coming from mainland China, it transgresses the northern part of Luzon; passing through Okinawa—the Miyako Strait; down our eastern seaboard; Palau; Australia; down to Indonesia—Lombok Strait; heading to Sibutu Channel; and exiting to the South China Sea,” he explained.

The Liaoning carrier battle group mirrored the same structure: the aircraft carrier Liaoning accompanied by two escort ships, and one replenishment ship. The AFP monitored flight deck operations aboard the Liaoning aircraft carrier. “In fact, the aircraft did coercive and aggressive actions against the Japanese Self-Defense Force aircraft that was sent to monitor the aircraft carrier group,” Trinidad said. No such operations were detected on the amphibious assault ship, the official added.

The two formations were monitored days apart and “roughly 600 to 800 miles” from each other. “They were quite far apart, but they were in the same duration—a few days apart,” Trinidad said. While the Chinese naval task groups operated outside the Philippine EEZ, the Navy official noted the strategic relevance of their movements, given the country’s proximity to flashpoints in Taiwan and Japan. “Considering that the Philippines, Japan and Taiwan are bordered in the first island chain and as mentioned by the Commander-in-Chief, any action in Taiwan and Japan will surely impact the Philippines, the AFP is monitoring all developments now on a regional basis,” Trinidad stressed.

He also emphasized that transparency and adherence to international law remain crucial to maintaining regional stability. “What is important is that the action, the intent and the objective of these group sails must be transparent and the actions of the ships, to include their embarked aircraft, must be non-aggressive and abide with international law,” Trinidad further said.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com