AFP denies Chinese military drills at Scarborough

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday dismissed reports about the Chinese military exercise allegedly being conducted in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.

However, AFP Public Affairs chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad confirmed the presence of three PLA Navy vessels — the PLA-Navy WUZHOU (FSG 626) Jiangdao II Class Corvette, PLA-Navy HUANGSHAN (FFG 570) Jiankai II Class Corvette and PLA-Navy QUJING (FSG 668) Jiangdao II Class Corvette — which have been spotted tailing the Philippines’ ongoing Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity with Australia, Canada and United States.

“Aside from the usual illegal encroachment and presence of Chinese maritime militia vessels, we have not monitored any purported exercise or combat patrols,” Trinidad said as he assured the safety of its personnel and “the overall conduct of the MMCA remains an utmost priority.”

He also said that the most recent Chinese exercise in the northern part of the South China Sea was monitored from 31 July to 2 August, but stressed that it was not conducted “outside” the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone.