The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) shared some worrying news: they saw more and more Chinese ships near Ayungin Shoal, a small but important spot in the West Philippine Sea.
Using their special system called Maritime Domain Awareness (like super high-tech eyes in the sky), the AFP spotted China Coast Guard ships moving around and even practicing with water cannons. These cannons are powerful streams of water that can damage boats.
It didn’t stop there. Smaller Chinese boats like inflatable speedboats and fast boats also entered the shoal. Some of them even had new upgrades — heavy guns mounted on the boats, which made them more dangerous.
📌 Here’s what the AFP saw:
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5 big China Coast Guard ships
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11 smaller inflatable and fast boats
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9 militia ships (civilian-looking boats that secretly work with the Chinese military)
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Plus, they spotted one helicopter and one drone flying above.
This creates huge tension because China is claiming almost the whole South China Sea — even parts that belong to other countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
But here’s the important part: in 2016, an international court in The Hague ruled that China’s claim was not valid and the Philippines had the right over its waters. Sadly, China refused to accept this decision and still sends ships to these disputed areas.
Now, the situation feels like a ticking time bomb ⚠️ because every new Chinese ship near Ayungin Shoal makes the conflict hotter and more dangerous for everyone.
