Chinese fishing fleet leaves Ayungin, replaced by surveillance ships

From InterAksyon (May 27): Chinese fishing fleet leaves Ayungin, replaced by surveillance ships

The Chinese fishing fleet earlier seen in Ayungin Shoal has left but has been replaced by two Chinese Monitoring Surveillance vessels, the Philippine Navy said Monday.

Colonel Edgard Arevalo, Navy spokesman for West Philippine Sea issues, said it is not certain when the fishing vessels earlier sighted by aerial patrols left, only that, “no fishing activity is ongoing so far.”

Arevalo said the two ships from the CMS, which he described as China’s equivalent of the Philippine Coast Guard, arrived over the weekend.

"The first one arrived 10 p.m. of May 24, while the other one arrived 9 a.m. of May 25. We still don't know when the fishing vessels left as they come and go there," he said, adding that the Navy will continue monitoring developments at the disputed territory.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/62655/chinese-fishing-fleet-leaves-ayungin-replaced-by-surveillance-ships