A ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official on Tuesday said that a total of 41 assorted Chinese ships were detected in four critical features of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) during the first week of 2026. PN spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the vessels came from China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), Chinese Coast Guard (CCG), and Maritime Militia. In Bajo de Masinloc, Trinidad said they detected eight Chinese vessels—two PLAN ships, three CCG vessels, and three Maritime Militia.

Naval, R. A. (2026, January 14). 41 Chinese ships spotted in four WPS features. BusinessMirror, p. A5.