MANILA — The number of Chinese warships and coast guard vessels spotted in key features of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) slightly declined in July, the Philippine Navy reported Tuesday.

From 49 vessels recorded in June, the count dropped to 46 last month, according to Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the WPS.

Trinidad said the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships and China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were monitored in the following areas:

• Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal: 13 CCG vessels, 15 PLAN ships
• Ayungin Shoal: eight CCG vessels, five PLAN ships
• Pag-asa Island: three CCG vessels, two PLAN ships

He attributed the minor decrease in numbers to the “maintenance and repair schedule” of Chinese ships stationed in the three maritime features.

The Philippines and China remain locked in a years-long territorial dispute over portions of the resource-rich South China Sea, including areas within Manila’s exclusive economic zone referred to as the West Philippine Sea.

In 2016, the Philippines won a landmark arbitral case against China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, but Beijing has refused to recognize the ruling and continues to assert presence in contested waters. (PNA)