(UPDATE) FORTY-FIVE Chinese ships were spotted in various features of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) for the first week of 2026, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Tuesday.
In Bajo de Masinloc, there were two People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, three Chinese coast guard (CCG) and three Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels; six CCGs and eight CMMs in Ayungin Shoal; three PLA Navy ships, six CCGs and eight CMMs in Escoda Shoal and four CCGs and two CMMs in Pagasa Island.
Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesman for the WPS, said they look at the trends on a monthly basis, giving a more accurate assessment of the increase at the end of the month.
The latest comparative monthly assessment they have was for November and December, which clearly showed an increase in number.
“If you look at the comparative data that we have, there’s been an increase in the PLA Navy presence, the Chinese coast guard presence all over the West Philippine Sea and their actions had been more aggressive,” Trinidad said in a press briefing.
He added that the Chinese ships are even getting closer to participants in joint naval drills between the Philippines and other like-minded nations.
“From merely being distant from the participants of MMCAs (Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity), they are now an active enabler,” Trinidad said.
“So we foresee that for 2026, this would likely be the trend, increased presence of the PLA Navy, CCG and CMM,” he added.
Not alarming
This number, however, is still not a cause for alarm, Trinidad said, as no coercive and aggressive actions have been reported yet.
“If you compare this with the previous data, this is still quite within the numbers we are monitoring. They are not yet threatening,” Trinidad said.
The AFP earlier released a report that in 2025, there were a total of 447 PLA Navy ships that were illegally present in the disputed waters.
In their assessment, the PLA Navy’s presence in 2025 became more “consistent, predictable and geographically closer to contested areas.” Moreover, it was noticed that they increased joint sails and shadowing operations using large CCGs indicating “tighter command and control integration.” Trinidad earlier said the Philippines’ joint maritime drills with allied partners in the WPS have contributed to a “decline in coercive and aggressive behavior” by Chinese maritime forces.
This is why MCAs are now considered part of the AFP’s operational maneuvers, not merely training events.
MCAs are complex military training exercises where troops from various countries come and train together to ensure the seas are free and open for everyone.
The Philippines has so far conducted MCAs with the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, France, New Zealand, India, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Vietnam and Italy.
Fishing boat harassed
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it intervened on Monday to assist a Filipino fishing vessel that was harassed by Chinese ships while en route to its fishing grounds in the West Philippine Sea.
In a report issued on Tuesday, the PCG said the incident occurred around noon on Jan. 12, when the fishing boat FFB Prince LJ was heading west of Bajo de Masinloc. The PCG said a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel, identified as PLAN 621, and a China Coast Guard ship, CCGV 23521, approached the fishing boat to within about 30 meters, sounded sirens, and blocked its navigation roughly 16 nautical miles southeast of the shoal.
According to the PCG, the captain of FFB Prince LJ altered course toward the southeast to avoid the two Chinese vessels but reported that the China Coast Guard ship continued to trail the fishing boat closely.
The PCG multi-role response vessel BRP Cape San Agustin (MRRV-4408) responded to the distress report and rendezvoused with the fishing boat at around 3:48 p.m. The fishing boat’s captain boarded the Coast Guard vessel at about 3:59 p.m., where he received medical assistance and provided a detailed account of the encounter.
PCG personnel documented the incident by taking photographs and videos of what they described as dangerous maneuvers by the Chinese vessels.
The Coast Guard also transferred 10 containers of diesel fuel to FFB Prince LJ to allow it to continue its fishing operations. The captain returned to his vessel at 5:02 p.m., after which the fishing boat resumed its course toward its intended fishing area.
PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said the agency remains committed to safeguarding Filipino fishermen and asserting their maritime rights.
“The Philippine Coast Guard remains steadfast in defending the safety and maritime rights of our fishermen, in full accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” Gavan said.
