South China Sea: Philippines says record 251 Chinese ships spotted in its waters in 1 week

The Philippine Navy on Tuesday said the number of Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea – an area in the South China Sea the Philippines claims as its territorial waters – reached a record high for this year at 251.

This is the highest concentration of Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea so far this year, Philippine Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a press briefing.

Trinidad said 28 Chinese coastguard ships, 16 People’s Liberation Army Navy warships, 204 Chinese maritime militia vessels and three Chinese research and survey vessels were recorded in the weeklong monitoring from September 17 to 23.

This was higher than China’s deployment of 157 vessels in the preceding week from September 10 to 16.

Trinidad said the highest number of Chinese vessels were sighted in Sabina Shoal, following the departure of Philippine coastguard ship BRP Teresa Magbanua, and in Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines has grounded an old navy ship serving as a navy outpost.