Philippines reports fewer Chinese ships in South China Sea

The number of Chinese ships in Philippines-claimed areas in the South China Sea has dropped, but the military on Tuesday said it was too early to tell whether this was because of an agreement to de-escalate tensions in the waterway. 

The military reported 104 Chinese ships in Manila’s waters from July 9 to 15 compared with 153 before both countries convened the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism (BCM) on July 2, said Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea.

Manila refers to territories in the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone as the West Philippine Sea.

“There was a decrease. Whether this is because of the BCM, it still remains to be seen,” Trinidad told reporters.

The latest BCM has established a South China Sea “hotline” to quickly address issues in the region as they arise – authorities have yet to provide details on this mechanism. However, similar agreements in the past were not effective in resolving disputes.

Manila and Beijing agreed to de-escalate tensions in the South China Sea following a tense standoff between Filipino troops and China Coast Guard personnel at Second Thomas (Ayungin) Shoal on June 17, during which a Philippine sailor lost a finger.

Filipino military officials claimed China Coast Guard personnel, armed with pikes and machetes, punctured Philippine boats and seized firearms during the incident.

The Philippine military has not launched another mission to Ayungin Shoal since then and Trinidad said it was too early to tell if the alleged Chinese harassment in the South Sea would be stopped because of the BCM. 

“We will know about this when we conduct the next RoRe [rotation and reprovisioning]. But for now, our basis for our assessment is the number of [Chinese] ships that we have monitored,” Trinidad said. 

“We will continue ensuring the integrity of the national territories, especially the West Philippine Sea, against the actions by the agents of aggression of the Chinese communist party,” he said.

Beijing has defended its actions, insisting on its sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea.

Military chiefs meet

Also on Tuesday, Philippine military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. met with Gen. Charles Brown Jr., chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the two allies and boost their joint annual war games. Specific details of the closed-door talks were not made available.

“Our alliance with the United States remains a cornerstone of our national security,” Brawner said, adding that both countries were working to “fortify our defense capabilities and ensure stability of the region.”

The United States and the Philippines are bound by a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which calls on each to come to the other’s aid in times of war or third-party aggression.