Manila, July 7 -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said 74 People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and China Coast Guard (CCG) ships were spotted in four key features of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in June.

In a statement, AFP spokesperson for the WPS Navy reservist Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad identified the four features as Bajo de Masinloc, Ayungin Shoal, Escoda Shoal, and Pag-asa Islands.

He identified the 74 Chinese naval and coast guard ships as follows: Bajo de Masinloc - 41 vessels (16 PLAN, 25 CCG), Ayungin Shoal - 16 vessels (four PLAN, 12 CCG), Escoda Shoal - eight vessels (five PLAN, three CCG), and Pag-asa Island - nine vessels (four PLAN, five CCG).

The June numbers are slightly lower than the 82 ...