Beijing’s warships linger in West Philippine Sea as Manila tracks persistent military presence

MANILA, PHILIPPINES: Nineteen Chinese warships, including frigates and destroyers, were spotted in the West Philippine Sea throughout November, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed Tuesday, Dec. 2.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesperson for the AFP in the region, said the ships were tracked near the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc—areas where Chinese military activity has remained a steady presence in Philippine waters.

The sightings were part of a massive monitoring effort, with the AFP tracking nearly 15,000 vessels across the country last month, including more than 12,000 foreign ships and over 2,500 domestic vessels. The November count of Chinese warships was slightly lower than October’s 21, a decrease Trinidad attributed to recent storms that likely forced some vessels to seek shelter.

While the AFP continues to watch Chinese navy warships closely, Trinidad said the military no longer publicly reports the number of Chinese maritime militia vessels in Philippine waters. “It’s difficult to track them, especially when they move in and out of PLA Navy bases,” he explained. The AFP is also working closely with the Philippine Coast Guard to share information on the movements of China Coast Guard vessels.

Of the nearly 15,000 vessels observed nationwide, 13,190 responded to AFP radio challenges, while 1,781 did not. Traffic was heaviest in the northern maritime zone with nearly 7,000 recorded movements, followed by the south (5,120), west (2,259), and east (695).

Despite the ongoing presence of Chinese warships in the area, Trinidad stressed that there has been no hostile activity. “There has been no report of any fire control system activated against our ships,” he said. “They’re there. They’re silent. We monitor them, and we challenge them.”