Chinese Ships Seek To Disrupt Work On Disputed Thitu Island

China has sent naval, coast guard and fishing vessels to disrupt Philippine efforts to repair its facilities on the disputed Thitu Island in the South China Sea, reports the Philippine Star. 

Beginning in July 2018, the number of Chinese ships at nearby Subi Reef began to increase, according to satellite imagery cited by a report released on Thursday by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

The increased activity coincides with ongoing work to renovate a beaching ramp on the island, which is part of the disputed Spratly island chain. The improvements will make it easier to bring construction materials on the island and repair the runway. 

By Dec. 20, 2018, there were about 95 vessels, including a Jianghu V-class frigate and a Zhaoduan-class coast guard cutter, reported the South China Morning Post.

The Philippine frigate Ramon Alcaraz was stationed about 7 nm from the Chinese frigate on that day.

Many of the ships included fishing trawlers, which anchored between 2 nm and 5.5 nm from Thitu. Analysts said the vessels were likely part of China's maritime militia, since they lacked fishing equipment and disabled their automatic identification system transceivers to prevent monitoring. 

Work on the ramp was expected to be completed by the end of 2018, but was delayed by inclement weather and rough seas, said Philippine officials. China's activities may also have contributed to the delays, analysts said.

The project is now expected to wrap up by the first quarter of this year, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Friday. The work will continue despite the Chinese presence, he said.