Several Chinese vessels were seen gathered near Thitu Island, a key Philippine outpost in the South China Sea, Reuters reported Thursday citing satellite images.
Despite this, a senior Philippine navy officer downplayed the situation, stating the vessels are "not a cause for concern."
One of the images, captured by Maxar Technologies on Monday, shows approximately 60 vessels, some positioned within 2 nautical miles of Thitu, a strategically significant island from which Manila observes Chinese vessels and aircraft in the region.
Vice Admiral Alfonso Torres, chief of the Philippines' Western Command, stated that the gathering of "maritime militia" ships in the area is a common occurrence. Manila, along with the Pentagon and foreign diplomats, indicated that these vessels often cooperate with the Chinese coast guard and navy to bolster Beijing's presence in disputed waters.
Rear Admiral Roy Trinidad, the Philippines Navy spokesman for the South China Sea, also confirmed the regular presence of maritime militia ships in the region. While acknowledging their "illegal presence," he reassured the public that there was no cause for alarm, as Manila was fully aware of the situation.
"It's not a cause for concern," Trinidad said, according to Reuters. "We don't have to read every action and react to that... What is important for us is to maintain our posture."
Online ship trackers reveal that many of the vessels captured in the satellite images are Chinese-registered fishing boats. Beijing has yet to confirm the existence of a militia made up of civilian vessels.
The South China Sea (SCS) is an area where China, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines have overlapping territorial claims. This region is widely believed to hold substantial reserves of gas and oil deposits. China, which claims most of the South China Sea, has built military-length runways on three artificial islands since 2013.
Amid the ongoing dispute in the region, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command conducted naval and air patrols over the territorial waters and airspace of Huangyan Island on Thursday, according to a statement from the Command.
The patrols are intended to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security, while also maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, the statement added.
