On February 21, 2024, the 46th Fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy set sail from the Zhanjiang Military Port in Guangdong Province.
Xinhua News Agency | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images
Satellite images obtained by Reuters on Thursday showed Chinese civilian ships massing near the disputed Thitu Island in the South China Sea from Manila, but a senior Philippine naval officer said the vessels were “not a cause for concern”.
An image captured by Maxar Technologies on Monday and reviewed by Reuters showed about 60 vessels, some within 2 nautical miles of Thitu Island. Chinese ships and planes on board.
Lt. Gen. Alfonso Torres, commander of the Philippine Western Command, said it was common for “maritime militia” vessels to gather in the area. Manila, the Pentagon and foreign diplomats say such vessels work with China’s coast guard and navy to bolster Beijing’s presence in disputed waters.
Philippine Navy South China Sea spokesman Rear Adm. Roy Trinidad also said maritime militia vessels are often seen in the area, adding that Manila was aware of the vessels, which he called their “illegal presence,” but there was no need to panic.
“It’s not worth worrying about,” Trinidad said. “We don’t have to read and react to every move…What’s important for us is to maintain our posture.”
Online ship trackers show that many of the vessels in the satellite photos are Chinese-registered fishing vessels.
China’s Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. China has never confirmed having a civilian vessel militia.
The island, known to the Philippines as Pag-Asa, is Manila’s largest and most strategically important island in the disputed South China Sea. A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague found that Beijing’s broad claims had no basis in international law.
After creating months of conflict Collisions between Chinese Coast Guard and fishing vessels and Philippine vessels, particularly at Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal.
Trinidad said Thitu Island is close to a Chinese naval base and a runway on Subi Reef, which at times serves as a port for large numbers of Chinese maritime militia vessels.
“When you go in there (to Subi), when you go out, you will cross Baasa territorial waters,” he said.
Regional diplomats and security analysts are watching developments closely, with some noting that Chinese ships this week were equipped with transponders that allow them to be tracked.
Singaporean security scholar Collin Koh said Beijing could test Manila’s response amid domestic political tensions in the Philippines.
Embattled Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday Accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sought to have her removed from office after state police filed a formal complaint accusing her of assault and coercion.
“This is something to watch in the coming days,” said Xu of the S. S. S. S. S. S. School of International Studies in Singapore.
Koch said China may want to delay Philippine construction work on the island if the militia continues.
A new hangar is reportedly set to be completed in the coming weeks, the latest of several moves by the Philippines to solidify its presence on Thitu Island and Thitu Island. Improve monitoring capabilities.
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