41 Chinese vessels monitored in West Philippine Sea in May

The Philippine Navy reported on Tuesday that 41 Chinese warships and Coast Guard vessels were monitored in various features of the West Philippine Sea in May 2025.

During this period, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recorded a total of 15,765 vessels across the archipelago, with 12,608 being foreign ships and 3,157 domestic vessels; 1,349 did not respond to radio challenges.

The Chinese presence was most notable at Bajo de Masinloc with 15 CCG vessels and 11 PLAN ships, Ayungin Shoal with six CCG vessels and one PLAN ship, and Pagasa Island with four CCG vessels and four PLAN ships.

Tensions remain high as Beijing continues to claim almost all of the South China Sea, an area also claimed by other countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

The Philippine government renamed parts of the South China Sea within its territory as the West Philippine Sea to reinforce its territorial claims in this disputed maritime zone.