Armed Chinese boats spotted in Ayungin Shoal

Manila, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported “increased movements” in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea of Chinese vessels that have been upgraded with heavy weapons – one of which tried to approach the Philippine Navy’s BRP Sierra Madre that serves as an outpost there.

The Ayungin Shoal, or Second Thomas Shoal - an atoll that is exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide in the Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea - is occupied by a garrison of navy personnel aboard the Sierra Madre, a World War II landing ship grounded on the reef since 1999.

The military released footage on Thursday, Aug. 21, that showed two smaller Philippine rubber boats blocking “the attempt of a Chinese Coast Guard small boat to go near BRP Sierra Madre (LS57) in Ayungin Shoal on August 20.”

The show of force was more than 14 months after China’s Coast Guard (CCG) interfered with a humanitarian rotation and resupply mission to the Sierra Madre – a confrontation that left a Filipino navy personnel injured after losing a finger.

Ayungin Shoal is 105 nautical miles west of Palawan where Australian and Filipino forces are holding wargames as part of the two-week Exercise Alon.

Beijing forces’ increased presence in Ayungin Shoal also comes a week after a Chinese warship rammed into its own coast guard boat that chased a Philippine boat in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) also in the West Philippine Sea.

In a statement, the AFP said it spotted on Aug. 20 a total of five CCG vessels backed up by 11 rigid-hulled inflatable fast boats and nine Chinese maritime militia vessels in Ayungin.

“Some of the CCG’s fast boats were also observed to have been upgraded with mounted weapons, including heavy crew-served weapons,” the AFP statement read.

The CCG vessel was also seen “rehearsing water cannon maneuvers near Ayungin Shoal,” it added.

The AFP also monitored Chinese aerial assets, including a rotary aircraft and an unmanned aerial vehicle.