By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – A total of 62 Chinese naval and coast guard ships were spotted in the four key features of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in April, significantly lower than the 90 recorded last March.
In a message to reporters Wednesday, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said these People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were monitored in Bajo de Masinloc, Ayungin Shoal, Escoda Shoal and Pag-asa Islands.
Vessels sighted were broken down as follows:
* Bajo de Masinloc – 24 vessels (Nine PLAN, 15 CCG)
* Ayungin Shoal – 12 vessels (two PLAN, 10 CCG)
* Escoda Shoal – 17 vessels (nine PLAN, 8 CCG)
* Pag-asa Islands – Nine vessels (one PLAN, eight CCG).
“These figures underscore the continued ICAD (illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive) activities that undermine the rules-based international order and constitute a blatant attempt to erode the Philippines’ territorial integrity, sovereignty, and sovereign rights,” Trinidad said.
However, Trinidad did not provide a specific reason for the decline in Chinese ships numbers for April.
Amid these illegal actions, he maintained that the Philippine Navy (PN) and the AFP remain steadfast in fulfilling their respective mandates “to uphold maritime security, maintaining a sustained focus on operational readiness, enhanced maritime domain awareness, and strengthened inter-agency coordination in addressing developments in the WPS.”
In the same period, Trinidad said the AFP and the PN successfully monitored a total of 21,052 vessels showcasing its sustained commitment to maritime security within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“From 01 to 30 April 2026, naval monitoring efforts recorded 3,528 local or domestic vessels and 17,524 foreign vessels. Of these, 14,343 vessels responded to radio challenges, while 6,709 did not. These monitor and challenge procedures are integral to the AFP’s efforts to assert presence, maintain situational awareness and enforce lawful maritime protocols. Such vigilance reinforces national sovereignty while promoting safety, accountability, and stability at sea,” he added. (PNA)
