Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad recently told media almost two dozen of Chinese naval and coast guard ships were spotted and monitored in four key features of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) last July 21 to 27, 2025.
In a media briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, Trinidad who also serves as PN spokesperson, said the Chinese vessels included seven China Coast Guard (CCG) and seven People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships. Four CCG ships were spotted at the Bajo de Masinloc, two PLAN ships were sighted in Ayungin Shoal, one PLAN ship was monitored in Sabina Shoal, and one CCG vessel and one PLAN warship were seen near Pag-asa Island, for a total of 23.
Trinidad said based on their monitoring from July 19 to 21, “the ships of the CCG and the PLAN in Bajo de Masinloc perhaps sought shelter because of the inclement weather.”
The Philippines is locked in a lingering territorial dispute with China over parts of the resource-rich South China Sea (SCS), portions of which Manila are referred to as West Philippine Sea.
In 2016, the Philippines won a landmark case against China’s massive claim in the SCS before an arbitration tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. China, however, refuses to recognize the ruling and continues to maintain its intrusions and presence in the WPS. Several times Chinese ships even brusquely water-cannoned Philippine vessels.
Despite China’s abusive actions and provocations, Trinidad stressed the Philippine military “will be resistant and unwavering against the aggressive actions of the Chinese Communist Party in the WPS.”
He added that the Armed Forces of the Philippines “will keep performing our mandate of securing and protecting our national territory and sovereign rights.”