HONG KONG/MANILA: Satellite images obtained by Reuters on Thursday showed construction of Chinese civilian vessels near Thito Island, Manila’s key outpost in the South China Sea, but a senior Philippine navy official said they were “concerned are not the reason.”
One of the images taken by Maxar Technologies on Monday and reviewed by Reuters shows about 60 ships, some within 2 nautical miles of Thito, a strategic The main island from which Manila monitors Chinese ships and aircraft in the busy waterway.
Vice Admiral Alfonso Torres, head of the Philippines’ Western Command, said it was common for “maritime militia” ships to gather in the area.
Manila, the Pentagon and foreign diplomats say such ships work with the Chinese coast guard and navy to strengthen Beijing’s presence in disputed waters.
Philippine Navy spokesman for the South China Sea, Rear Admiral Roy Trinidad, also said that naval militia vessels were regularly present in the area, adding that Manila was aware of the vessels, which it called “illegal presence.” ” declared, but there was no need for alarm. .
“It’s not a cause for concern,” Trinidad said. “We don’t need to read every action and react to it… What’s important for us is to maintain our posture.”
Online vessel trackers show that many of the vessels in satellite images are Chinese-registered fishing vessels.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. China has never confirmed that it has a militia of civilian ships.
The island, which the Philippines calls Pag-Asa, is Manila’s largest and most strategically important in the disputed South China Sea, which is largely claimed by China and through which billions of dollars worth of goods pass each year.
A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague found that Beijing’s broad claims had no basis under international law.
The construction follows months of clashes between the Chinese coast guard and fishing vessels and Philippine vessels, particularly in Scarborough and Second Thomas Shoals.
Trinidad said Thito is close to a Chinese naval base and a runway on Sabi Reef, which sometimes serves as a port for large numbers of Chinese naval militia ships.
“When you go there (in Sibi), when you go out, you will pass through the territorial sea of Pag-asa,” he said.