207 Chinese ships spotted in WPS, highest this year

The Philippine Navy reported a slight increase in Chinese ships spotted in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) from September 3 to 9, marking the highest number for this year with 207 vessels.

Out of these, 182 are maritime militia vessels and 18 are China Coast Guard Vessels, along with six People's Liberation Army Navy warships and one research vessel, focusing primarily on Sabina Shoal and Iroquois Reef.

Sabina Shoal saw the highest concentration of Chinese ships with 68 vessels, followed by Iroquois Reef with 59, prompting Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad to emphasize that deploying additional units from other theaters would be considered abnormal.

Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua has been stationed at Sabina Shoal since April amid reports of Chinese reclamation activities in the area, despite Beijing's calls for its removal.

Super Typhoon Yagi (formerly Tropical Storm Enteng) passed through the northern part of the Philippines and landed in China's Hainan province on September 6, leaving 16 people dead.

Beijing, through a state-run newspaper, urged the Philippines to 'seriously consider the future of China-Philippines relations and work with China to push bilateral relations back on track.'