80 Chinese vessels spotted in WPS in October -- AFP

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The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said a total of 80 Chinese vessels were monitored at a number of key features in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in October 2026.

The figure is lower compared to the 101 Chinese ships seen in the disputed area in September 2026.

In an update, AFP spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were seen in WPS features from October 1 to 31:

• Ayungin Shoal – 11 CCGs, 13 PLANs

•Bajo de Masinloc – 30 CCGs, 11 PLANs

• Escoda Shoal – three CCGs, eight PLANs

• Pag-asa Islands – three CCGs, one PLAN

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as the West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago, including the Luzon Sea and the waters around, within, and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."