More Than 40 Chinese Vessels Reported Around Philippine-Claimed Island

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday spotted more than 40 Chinese vessels near Pag-asa, one of the islands occupied by Manila in the South China Sea. Coast Guard personnel stationed on the island – also known as Thitu – reported a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy vessel, a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel, and 42 suspected maritime militia vessels, anchored within 4.5 to 8 nautical miles of the shore. The PCG said this was “clearly inside the land feature’s 12-nautical mile territorial sea.” The PLA Navy vessel and CCG 5203 had been observed loitering in waters surrounding Pag-asa Island,…