An analyst suggests Beijing may be 'adding fuel' to domestic political tensions amid the ongoing Marcos-Duterte fallout A US-based surveillance group has detected the "largest China vessel swarm" near Thitu Island,

Satellite images show a significant presence of Chinese civilian vessels near Thitu Island in the South China Sea, prompting mixed reactions from the Philippines, which downplays the situation as routine despite growing international scrutiny.

Thitu is a strategically important island from which Manila monitors Chinese vessels and aircraft in the busy waterway.

An “extraordinarily large” fleet of Chinese ships were spotted inside the territorial sea of Pagasa Island, a West PH Sea monitor said.

China’s coast guard said on Monday that it had taken “necessary control measures” against an “illegal gathering” of Philippine vessels in disputed waters of the Iroquois reef in the South China Sea. A number of Philippine ships have in recent days “illegally” gathered in the waters of the reef in the Spratly Islands under the banner of