Two naval vessels of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were monitored within the country’s territory in two separate locations within the country's territory, the Philippine Navy disclosed on Thursday, April 4.

Navy spokesman Capt. John Percie Alcos said the two Chinese vessels were monitored on April 22—the first was the aircraft carrier Shandong (CV-17) about 2.23 nautical miles southwest of Babuyan Island while the second was the Type 815A Chinese electronic surveillance ship (AGI-797) around 33.11 nautical miles northwest of Dalupiri Island, or about 38.91 nautical miles northwest of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

The areas where they were monitored, according to the Philippine Navy, were within the country’s archipelagic waters.

“They're actually conducting normal naval operations en route to a specific destination that we still do not know. Their passage was expeditious and they did not stop in any part of their particular, in that particular travel,” said Alcos.

He said the Philippine Navy deployed vessels to monitor the Chinese vessels, adding that the presence of the latter within the country’s territory was challenged. 

“Every time we monitor the presence of any foreign ship, whether it's from our allies and other countries, we normally challenge them,” said Alcos.

The Philippines is locked in a territorial dispute with China which has been claiming almost the entire South China Sea.

China’s claim, however, was rejected by the United Nations Tribunal through a case won by the Philippine government. 

Amid the continuous presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Navy has committed to uphold its mandate of maintaining maritime situational awareness to ensure safe navigation and adherence to international maritime norms. 

“It remains committed to promoting regional stability through the responsible monitoring and reporting of maritime activities within the Philippine maritime domain,” the Navy said in a statement.