China has placed 50 ships ahead of Philippine resupply mission: Expert

Chinese militia vessels operate at Whitsun Reef in the South China Sea in this file picture from Dec 2, 2023. - Philippine Coast Guard via Reuters

BEIJING: China has deployed at least 50 maritime militia ships at Panganiban (Mischief) Reef ahead of another mission to resupply Filipino troops on a decrepit World War II-era ship serving as the Philippines’ outpost at the nearby Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, according to an American maritime expert.

Ray Powell, who leads Project Myoushu (South China Sea) at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University, told the Inquirer on Thursday that 35 big ships belonging to Qiong Sansha Yu fleet and 15 smaller ones were spotted at Panganiban.