China Coast Guard ship holds intrusive patrol near Lubang Island —expert

China Coast Guard 5303 vessel was spotted near Lubang Island in Mindoro on Sunday afternoon, a maritime expert monitoring the ship's movements said on Monday.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), former US Air Force official and Defence Attaché Ray Powell said the Chinese ship was 60 nautical miles west of Lubang Island as of 4:20 p.m. on Sunday.

“At 16:20 yesterday the 135-meter China Coast Guard 5303 arrived 60 nm west of the Philippines' Lubang Island & is now conducting an intrusive patrol at that location,” Powell said.

GMA News Online reached out to the Philippine Coast Guard and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for a confirmation of the report but they have yet to provide a statement as of posting time.

Tensions continue amid China’s massive claim in the South China Sea (SCS) including the portion the Philippines refers to as the West Philippine Sea (WPS). 

The SCS is a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Aside from the Philippines, China has overlapping claims in the area with Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China does not recognize the decision.—Joviland Rita/AOL, GMA Integrated News