29 China Coast Guard, Navy ships spotted in WPS in Oct

West Philippine Sea (WPS) (Photo: Western Command Armed Forces of the Philippines/Facebook)

By Priam Nepomuceno, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – Twenty-nine China Coast Guard (CCG) and People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels were monitored by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) passing through the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in October.

Philippine Navy spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told the media there were 15 CCG and 14 PLAN ships.

“These 29 vessels were monitored transiting or passing thru the vicinity of our features to include Bajo de Masinloc, Sabina Shoal, Julian Felipe Reef and Iroquois Reef and were not stationary,” he said.

Overall in the same period, Trinidad said the AFP monitored 13,874 vessels passing all over the Philippine archipelago.

“This maritime traffic was composed of 11,097 foreign and 2,777 domestic vessels,” he added.

He said the military’s monitoring is part of its mandate to protect national interests and secure Philippine waters.

“These provide valuable data on vessel movements and reinforce our resolve to safeguard our sovereignty,” he added.