A total of 203 Chinese ships were spotted in the West Philippine Sea from Aug. 27 to Sept. 2 – the highest number of vessels to swarm the country’s waters this year — more than a fourth of which were deployed to Escoda Shoal that is emerging to be the latest flashpoint between Manila and Beijing.
Of the 71 Chinese vessels in Escoda Shoal, nine were China People’s Liberation Army warships, 53 were maritime militia vessels, and nine were China Coast Guard.
On the other hand, standing guard against the big Chinese fleet in Escoda Shoal is the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) largest ship, BRP Teresa Magbanua.
“This is the highest we have recorded in the vicinity of our nine occupied features in WPS for this year,” Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said.
“While it is not normal, it is within the range of the capability they could project in the South China Sea / WPS. We can attribute the surge to the attention given to Escoda Shoal in the last few weeks. Nevertheless, the increase in numbers will not justify their illegal presence, their coercive and aggressive actions and their deceptive narratives,” he added.
Trinidad earlier said the Armed Forces of the Philippines will increase its air and naval patrols at Escoda Shoal and to support law enforcement operations of BRP Magbanua, which has been stationed at the area since April.
Security analist Ray Powell of the maritime transparency initiative SeaLight warned the possibility of China is trying to push BRP Magbanua out of Escoda Shoal “cannot be discounted.”
Over the weekend, BRP Magbanua was deliberately rammed multiple times by a Chinese vessel.
Escoda Shoal is about 140 kilometers off Palawan and about 1,200 kilometers from Hainan island, the nearest major Chinese landmass.
Meanwhile, 52 Chinese ships were spotted near Pagasa Island while 26 were deployed in Ayungin Shoal.
In Bajo de Masinloc, 16 Chinese vessels were seen, including one Chinese Research Survey Vessel.
Trinidad said about 36 Chinese maritime militia vessels were spotted around Iroquois Reef while another CMMV was sighted in Kota Island. One research vessel was monitored near Rizal Reef.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said his the Philippines may soon file another arbitral case against Beijing after the intentionally ramming of BRP Magbanua on Saturday.
Beijing insisted on Monday it was defending its “rights” in the South China Sea following the ramming incident.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning insisted the Philippines had “deliberately rammed” the Chinese vessel.
“The root cause of the current situation, or the current escalation of the situation, is that the Philippines sent coast guard ships to linger in the lagoon of the Xianbin Reef (Escoda Shoal) for a long time and attempt to permanently occupy it,” Mao said.
