MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday confirmed the presence of the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong near Philippine waters, raising concerns amid ongoing regional tensions.
“Yes, we have monitored the vessels,” AFP public affairs office chief Colonel Xerxes Trinidad confirmed in a message to GMA News Online. Further details were deferred to Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesperson for the Philippine Navy’s West Philippine Sea operations.
The sighting of the Chinese warship comes as the Philippines, United States, and Japan are scheduled to conduct joint maritime drills on Thursday, part of the annual Balikatan military exercises.
Tensions between Manila and Beijing continue to escalate over territorial disputes in the South China Sea—portions of which the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea. Despite a 2016 international ruling favoring the Philippines, China continues to assert its expansive maritime claims, which overlap with several Southeast Asian nations.
The Chinese foreign ministry has criticized the ongoing joint military exercises, calling them destabilizing and a threat to regional peace. Beijing also reiterated its opposition to any increased foreign military presence in the region, especially around Taiwan, where it has ramped up military activities in recent years.