Chinese Maritime Presence in West Philippine Sea Declines Amid Typhoons, AFP Reports

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced on Tuesday, September 23, a noticeable decrease in the number of Chinese vessels operating in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), attributing the decline to the impacts of Super Typhoon "Nando" and Tropical Cyclone "Mirasol."

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson for the WPS, revealed that on Monday, nine China Coast Guard (CCG) ships and one People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) warship were observed near Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, while two CCG vessels were detected around Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal. These figures fall below the AFP’s usual weekly average of 14 to 20 Chinese vessels in the area.

Significantly, no maritime militia boats from China were sighted during this period. "Over the past week, while the presence has remained somewhat steady, our monthly monitoring averages indicate a decrease in vessels at Bajo de Masinloc and Ayungin Shoal," Trinidad said, explaining that the drop was largely due to adverse weather caused by Typhoon Nando and the preceding tropical cyclone.

The AFP also halted its own patrol missions throughout the WPS as the typhoon severely affected Northern Luzon and surrounding regions. "Our ships and aircraft were grounded and unable to proceed with routine patrols," Trinidad added. "Standard procedure prohibits us from deploying patrols during strong typhoons; vessels remain docked for safety."

Admiral Trinidad emphasized that the reduction in Chinese maritime activity is only a temporary weather-related occurrence, with operations expected to resume once sea conditions improve. Despite the current lull, the AFP remains vigilant, continuing to monitor developments and ready to reinstate regular patrols as soon as conditions permit.