Chinese ships gather near island disputed with Philippines, satellite images show

Satellite images obtained by Reuters connected Thursday amusement a build-up of Chinese civilian vessels adjacent contested Thitu Island, Manila's cardinal outpost successful the South China Sea, but a elder Philippine navy serviceman said they are "not a origin for concern".

One of the images taken by Maxar Technologies connected Monday and reviewed by Reuters shows astir 60 vessels, immoderate wrong 2 nautical miles of Thitu, a strategically important land from which Manila monitors Chinese vessels and craft successful the engaged waterway.

Vice Admiral Alfonso Torres, main of the Philippines' Western Command, said it was communal for "maritime militia" ships to stitchery successful the area. Manila, the Pentagon and overseas diplomats accidental specified vessels enactment with the Chinese seashore defender and navy to fortify Beijing's beingness successful disputed waters.

Rear Admiral Roy Trinidad, Philippines Navy spokesperson for the South China Sea, besides said maritime militia ships were regularly successful the area, adding that Manila was alert of the vessels, which helium called an "illegal presence", but determination was nary request for alarm.

"It's not a origin for concern," Trinidad said. "We don't person to work each enactment and respond to that... What is important for america is to support our posture."

Online vessel trackers amusement that galore of the vessels successful the outer photos are Chinese-registered sportfishing craft.

The Chinese defence ministry did not instantly respond to a Reuters petition for comment. China has ne'er confirmed it has a militia of civilian vessels.

The island, which the Philippines calls Pag-Asa, is Manila's biggest and astir strategically important successful the disputed South China Sea, which is mostly claimed by China and done which billions of dollars worthy of goods walk each year. A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration successful the Hague recovered that Beijing's expansive claims had nary ground nether planetary law.

The build-up comes after months of clashes and rammings betwixt Chinese seashore defender and sportfishing vessels and Philippines ships, peculiarly astatine the Scarborough and Second Thomas Shoals.

Thitu is adjacent to a Chinese naval basal and runway connected Subi reef, which has sometimes served arsenic a larboard for ample numbers of Chinese maritime militia vessels, Trinidad said.

"When you spell successful determination (to Subi), erstwhile you spell out, you volition walk done the territorial oversea of Pag-Asa," helium said.

Regional diplomats and information analysts are watching developments closely, with immoderate noting the Chinese vessels had their transponders connected this week, allowing them to beryllium tracked.

Singapore-based information student Collin Koh said Beijing could beryllium investigating Manila's reactions astatine a infinitesimal of home governmental hostility successful the Philippines.

Embattled Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte connected Wednesday accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr of seeking to region her from office, aft the nationalist constabulary filed a ceremonial ailment accusing her of battle and coercion.

"This needs to beryllium watched successful the days ahead," said Koh, of Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

If the militia beingness continues, Koh said, it could beryllium that China is hoping to hold Philippine operation enactment connected the island.

A caller craft hangar is reportedly owed for completion successful the adjacent fewer weeks, the latest successful a respective moves to buttress the Philippines' beingness connected Thitu and improve monitoring capabilities.