Chinese vessels should not be lingering in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), a ranking Philippine Navy official said on Monday.

Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said at least 30 Chinese maritime militia vessels reportedly spotted at Rozul (Iroquois) Reef over the weekend should not be swarming in the area as this is within the Philippines’ EEZ.

“They shouldn’t even be there in the first place regardless of what they plan to do. I call them agents of aggression of China,” Trinidad said in a radio interview.

Trinidad noted that the presence of Chinese vessels at Rozul Reef was no longer surprising “as their number changes depending on their activity.”

China claims Rozul Reef, which is located approximately 128 nautical miles at the southern end of Recto (Reed) Bank in the northeastern portion of the Kalayaan Island Group in Palawan.

Rozul Reef, frequented by Chinese maritime militia ships, is a known haven for different species of fish and other marine life.

In 2023, authorities reported “extensive” damage to the seabed of the reef, attributed to the China maritime militia ships’ alleged massive harvesting of coral reefs in the area.

According to Trinidad, the Chinese fleet, including People’s Liberation Army Navy ships and China Coast Guard vessels, is already all over the Philippines’ EEZ.

“We look at the bigger picture that China should not be within our exclusive economic zone,” he stressed.

Trinidad said the Philippine Navy issues a radio challenge as a normal procedure for a coastal state whenever they see an intruder or any vessel that is not theirs.

“In the case of the West Philippine Sea, China does not respond to us. We usually establish radio communications. We tell them that they are in our exclusive economic zone and all of these are recorded and given to the appropriate government agency for the appropriate action,” he said.

The usual course of action is for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to file a diplomatic protest with China, he said.

Meanwhile, Trinidad said they are also monitoring Vietnam’s accelerated dredging and landfill work in the portion of the South China Sea, which is being done in its outpost within the Kalayaan Island Group in the WPS.

“We’re monitoring that, but I believe the more appropriate agency to give the details of that would be DFA. The DFA is already addressing that,” he said.

Trinidad also explained that Vietnam has the most claims in the SCS, “historically,” among the seven claimant countries, including the Philippines.

“It just so happens that Vietnam and the Philippines have friendly relations. Vietnam does not initiate illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions against us, unlike China,” he said.