The number of Chinese military and maritime vessels anchored within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), particularly in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), has notably risen during the first week of 2026. In a Camp Aguinaldo briefing, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said that monitoring from 1 to 7 January detected a total of 41 Chinese vessels across four key maritime features, significantly more than the average of 25 boats recorded in recent months. At Bajo de Masinloc, the AFP monitored eight vessels: two People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy ships, three Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, and three Chinese maritime militia boats.

Kabagani, L. J. (2026, January 14). Chinese ships massing anew. Daily Tribune, pp. A1, A6.