More than 50 Chinese vessels have been spotted in the West Philippine Sea, specifically in Iroquios Reef and Sabina Shoal, according to the air patrol conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command (AFP Wescom) on June 30.
This coincided with the Chinese Coast Guard's interception and pursuit of Philippine vessels in Ayungin Shoal.
According to pilot Lt. Edgard Abogado, they observed 48 Chinese fishing vessels in Iroquios Reef, a significant increase from the 12 ships present in February.
“The swarming of Chinese fishing vessels (CFVs) there is quite visible from the air,“ the officer confirmed.
Additionally, co-pilot Lt. Karla Andres also noted that the foreign vessels seemed to be stationary in the area rather than engaged in fishing activities.
“The CFVs were observed to be anchored in groups of five to seven and no fishing activities were noticed. They seem to just loiter in the area,“ she said.
In Sabina Shoal, five Chinese Coast Guard a(CCG) nd People's Liberation Army Navy vessels were observed, outnumbering the four Philippine ships present.
Chinese vessels' presence in Recto Bank
The AFP Wescom also expressed concern over the substantial Chinese presence in Iroquios Reef and Sabina Shoal, which are close to the resource-rich Recto Bank.
AFP Wescom spokesperson Commander Ariel Coloma emphasized that Recto Bank falls within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, and China should respect our sovereignty by refraining from entering the area.
“Recto Bank is a vital feature within the Philippine’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and China must cease its swarming of vessels to respect our sovereign rights,” he said.
