IN what appears to be an effort to secure the Escoda Shoal for its planned reclamation to form another artificial island, China sent twice as many warships to the West Philippine Sea.
According to the Philippine Navy, a total of 11 People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) warships were spotted at the western section of the West Philippine Sea covered well within the 200-nautical mile Philippine economic zone.
Of the 11 warships, six were seen off the Escoda Shoal where China is reportedly bent on forming an island to host another Chinese military installation. Sightings were recorded covering the period from May 23 until June 3.
A week before that, China only had five warships in the West Philippine Sea.
In a press conference held at the AFP Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad in his capacity as Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, the huge number of warships were part of a fleet which participated in an unauthorized military exercise off Sabina Shoal over the weekend.
According to Trinidad, hovercraft and aircraft were launched during the unauthorized military exercise.
“First and foremost, they have no right to be within our EEZ,” Trinidad said.
“The conduct of an exercise within another country’s EEZ is unauthorized under Unclos, it is not allowed,” added Trinidad in reference to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The five remaining warships, the navy officer said, were deployed off Ayungin Shoal Pagasa Island and off Lawak Island.
The Philippine Navy also recorded the presence of 125 vessels which include nine Chinese Coast Guard ships and the rest Chinese maritime militia vessels. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
