MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said a total of 35 Chinese vessels were monitored in several features of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) from May 4 to 11.

In a report, AFP spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the monitored vessels included both the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and China Coast Guard (CCG).

According to the AFP update, the vessels were observed in the following areas:

Ayungin Shoal — seven vessels (one PLAN, six CCG)
Bajo de Masinloc — 17 vessels (eight PLAN, nine CCG)
Escoda Shoal — five vessels (three PLAN, two CCG)
Pag-asa Islands — six vessels (three PLAN, three CCG)

The AFP noted that in April, a total of 62 Chinese vessels were also recorded in the same areas.

Tensions in the South China Sea continue as China maintains its claim over nearly the entire waterway, which is a major global trade route supporting more than $3 trillion in annual maritime commerce and is also claimed in part by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

The Philippine government refers to its maritime zone in the area as the West Philippine Sea, covering waters on the western side of the Philippine archipelago, including the Luzon Sea and areas around the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, stating that China’s claims in the South China Sea had “no legal basis.”

China has since rejected and refused to recognize the ruling.