The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has addressed the recent presence of Chinese militia and fishing vessels near Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea.
PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela explained that the significant number of Chinese ships anchored near the island is due to adverse weather conditions.
Despite this, Tarriela emphasized that the PCG remains concerned about the continued presence of these vessels within Philippine territorial waters.
He stated that the PCG, with support from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), challenges these Chinese maritime militia vessels whenever they enter the territorial sea of Pag-asa Island, asserting Philippine sovereignty and requesting respect for its territorial integrity.
This statement follows reports from U.S. maritime security expert Ray Powell, who observed an increase to 83 Chinese vessels near Pag-asa Island on Wednesday.
However, Tarriela noted that the number of Chinese maritime vessels in the area had decreased to 30 as of Saturday morning.
The PCG continues to monitor the situation closely to ensure the protection of Philippine territorial waters and uphold national sovereignty.