MANILA, Philippines — China appears to be shifting its maritime presence in the West Philippine Sea toward coast guard and research operations, with the Philippines monitoring fewer Chinese navy and maritime militia vessels but more China Coast Guard (CCG) and research vessels in the first half of 2026, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Tuesday.
The Philippine Navy monitored 77 different CCG vessels from January to June, up from 68 during the same period last year, AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad (Reserve) said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Meanwhile, the number of different Chinese navy vessels monitored during the period fell to 78 from 100. The number of maritime militia vessels also declined, from 999 to 850.
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Trinidad said the increase in CCG vessels suggested a greater emphasis on maritime law enforcement in the West Philippine Sea.
“This indicates that the functions to be performed, we could expect more law enforcement functions for this year,” he said.
The AFP also monitored more research and survey vessels, with 44 different vessels recorded in the first half of 2026, up from 33 during the same period last year.
Of the 44 vessels, 16 had erratic tracks that could indicate survey and research activities, Trinidad said.
“Of those numbers, 16 had erratic tracks that would indicate the conduct of survey and research activities, covering the West Philippine Sea, our northern passage, Bashi Channel, Balintang Channel, all the way up to Benham Rise,” he said.
23 Chinese vessels in key features
From Aug. 11 to 17, the AFP recorded 23 Chinese vessels in three key Philippine features in the West Philippine Sea: Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, according to its latest weekly monitoring.
The vessels included 20 CCG ships and three Chinese navy vessels. Eleven CCG vessels were monitored at Ayungin Shoal, a low-tide elevation about 194 kilometers west of Palawan where the Philippines maintains the grounded BRP Sierra Madre as a military outpost.
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Seven CCG vessels were monitored at Panatag Shoal, about 220 kilometers west of Luzon, along with the three Chinese navy vessels.
Two CCG vessels were seen around Pag-asa Island, about 480 kilometers west of Palawan. Pag-asa is the largest Philippine-held feature in the Kalayaan Island Group and is home to a civilian community.
AFP uses data to plan deployments
Trinidad said the AFP could not determine what specifically caused the decline in Chinese navy and maritime militia vessels.
The military, however, uses changes in Chinese deployments to help determine where Philippine ships and aircraft should be positioned.
“We monitor these numbers to give us an inclination of the direction that would help us project our deployment of forces,” Trinidad said.
He said this was part of the AFP’s routine forecasting of force deployments.
Asked whether the changes in China’s deployment pattern concerned the military, Trinidad said the AFP was prepared to respond.
“We are not bothered by this, we have been expecting this,” he said. “Any changes in the deployment of the adversary, the AFP is prepared to respond accordingly.”
The AFP’s monitoring comes amid China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea.
Beijing claims nearly the entire South China Sea, including areas within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.
China has rejected the 2016 arbitral ruling, which found no legal basis for Beijing’s sweeping claims to historic rights within the area covered by its so-called nine-dash line. China has since used a 10-dash line in its maps, adding a dash east of Taiwan.
The AFP said it would continue monitoring Chinese maritime activities to maintain maritime domain awareness and guide the deployment of Philippine forces, while coordinating with the Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to protect the country’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and maritime interests. /dl
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