Chinese vessels increase presence near Pagasa Island

November 19 ------ ​CHINESE coast guard and maritime militia vessels have been increasingly observed near Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the West Philippine Sea, ship-tracking data showed.

​Data gathered over the past three days showed Chinese ships have moved toward Pag-Asa Island from multiple locations, including mainland China, the Paracel Islands, Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), and other areas in the Spratly archipelago. Retired US Air Force Col. Ray Powell, director of SeaLight, a maritime transparency initiative, noted a significant redeployment of vessels.

Many ships that had previously enforced China’s exclusion zone around Scarborough Shoal, he said, are now repositioned near Subi Reef, a Chinese-controlled artificial island. The redeployment reportedly includes eight maritime militia ships and China Coast Guard vessel 3305, which were observed departing for Subi Reef on the night of Nov. 16. Satellite imagery and automatic identification system (AIS) data indicate that only two Chinese coast guard ships remain visible at Scarborough Shoal — a sharp drop from six coast guard and eight militia ships just three days earlier — though a third vessel is reported about 100 nautical miles to the south.

Powell described the activity as “an unusual concentration” of Chinese forces near Thitu Island, which is occupied by Philippine troops but claimed by China. He suggested that the movements could signal a tactical shift in Beijing’s presence across the South China Sea, though officials have not publicly commented on the redeployment.

The developments come amid tensions in the area, where territorial disputes between Manila and Beijing persist despite diplomatic engagement and multilateral discussions.

Source: manilatimes.net