The Philippines said on Sunday that a “swarm” of more than 135 Chinese boats were stationed around what it claimed was a reef, calling the massive presence “alarming”.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the Chinese boats are “dispersed” around the Whitsun Reef, which the Philippines calls Julian Felipe Reef, about 320 kilometers west of the island of Palawan.
This boomerang-shaped reef lies more than 1,000 km from China’s first significant landmass, Hainan Island. It is part of the Spratly Archipelago, which is claimed by China, the Philippines and several other states bordering the South China Sea.
The Philippine Coast Guard, which had already spotted 111 ships belonging to the so-called “Chinese maritime militia” in the area on November 13, counted “more than 135” when it deployed two patrol vessels on Saturday, they said.
“There was no response to the Philippine Coast Guard’s radio calls” to the Chinese vessels, they added.
Images released by the Coast Guard show ships lined up in formation while others lie scattered in the water.
The Chinese embassy in Manila was contacted by AFP and did not immediately respond.
A precedent in 2021
According to the Philippine government, about 210 Chinese ships were stationed near Whitsun Reef for several weeks in 2021.
Beijing had claimed they were fishing boats taking shelter from bad weather, but Manila rejected that explanation, saying there were no storms during the relevant period.
Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, including waters and islands near its neighbors’ coasts, and has ignored an international court’s 2016 ruling that the claim had no legal basis.
China regularly deploys ships to patrol disputed waters and has built militarized artificial islands to strengthen its position.
The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also claim several reefs and islands in this sea, which are believed to contain rich oil deposits.
On Friday, the Philippines announced the establishment of a coast guard on the largest island it controls in the South China Sea to step up surveillance of Chinese ships.
This post will be equipped with “advanced systems” including radar, satellite communications, coastal cameras and maritime traffic management systems, national security adviser Eduardo Ano said during a visit to Thitu Island.
Construction has already been completed and the station is expected to be operational early next year.