Navy: 19 Chinese warships monitored in West Philippine Sea in November

The Philippine Navy on Tuesday reported that a total of 19 People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships of China were monitored in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the month of November.

Philippine Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a statement that the warships were spotted across various maritime zones of the country.

“These monitoring effects reflect the Navy’s continuous maritime domain awareness, presence operations, and commitment to safeguarding territory sovereignty and sovereign rights,” Trinidad said.

The Philippine Navy last week reported that 30 China Coast Guard (CCG) and PLAN ships were present in several key features of the West Philippine Sea as of 24 November. This included six PLAN warships in Bajo de Masinloc, Ayungin Shoal, and Escoda Shoal; 24 CCG ships were also reported in those shoals and in Pagasa Island.

The Philippine Navy said it monitored 14,972 vessels across the entire archipelago in November — 12,450 foreign vessels and 2,522 domestic.

According to Trinidad, 13,190 vessels responded to radio challenges while 1,781 did not.

Most of the vessels were observed in the northern part of the country at 6,898, followed by 5,120 in the southern region, 2,259 in the western portion, and 695 in the eastern side.

“The AFP remains resolute in upholding law, protecting national interests, and sustaining a credible and disciplined presence across all key maritime areas of the archipelago,” Trinidad stated.