AFP debunks China's joint patrol claims in WPS

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday refuted claims made by the Chinese Navy that it had conducted “coordinated air and sea patrols” during the recent bilateral maritime cooperative activity between the Philippines and Japan.

In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, criticized the illegal presence of a People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) vessel from the Southern Theater Command during the joint exercise conducted within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“The Philippine Navy did not monitor any coordinated air and maritime patrols in our maritime zones conducted by the Southern Theater Command,” Trinidad told reporters.

“What we have monitored is the continued illegal presence in our maritime zones of the PLA Navy and the Chinese Coast Guard, specifically in Bajo de Masinloc, Pag-asa, Sabina, and Ayungin Shoals,” he added.

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla likewise denounced the Chinese claims, branding them as yet another instance of “misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation” aimed at distorting international narratives in favor of China’s sweeping and unlawful maritime claims.

She stressed that the Philippines’ joint maritime activities with its allies, including Japan, are essential in asserting sovereignty and upholding regional peace and security.

“This maritime activity was more than a demonstration of capability; it was a clear expression of our enduring commitment to peace, regional stability, and a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific,” Padilla said.

According to Trinidad, a PLA Navy warship was spotted tailing the vessel formation during the 15 June maritime exercise between the Philippine Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

In addition, two PLA Navy warships and two Chinese Coast Guard ships were also seen operating near Bajo de Masinloc. Two Chinese Coast Guard vessels were observed launching and recovering rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) near Ayungin Shoal, while another PLA Navy warship was monitored near Sabina Shoal.