Chinese Coast Guard Increases Presence at Scarborough Shoal in 2026

The presence of China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels at Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) surged sharply during the first half of 2026, nearly matching the total patrol activity recorded in 2025, according to a new report by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI). Using automatic identification system (AIS) data collected from Jan. 1 to June 30, AMTI found that CCG vessels accumulated 933 ship-days around Bajo de Masinloc during the six-month period, close to the 1,099 ship-days logged throughout 2025. The report highlighted that monthly CCG patrols averaged 156 ship-days in the first half of 2026, up from 90 ship-days…