It is now easier to drive away Chinese vessels from the West Philippine Sea because China is avoiding confrontations in the area. President Duterte, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and presidential spokesman Harry Roque think so, after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) was able to make a Chinese Navy warship leave Philippine waters last week. The Chinese military vessel was spotted at the Marie Louise Bank just 147 nautical miles from El Nido, Palawan on July 13, prompting the PCG’s BRP Cabra to communicate with it and ask the foreign vessel to sail out of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Punongbayan, M. (2021, July 21). 'Chinese ships go away perhaps to avoid confrontation'. The Philippine Star, p. 2.