Taiwan NSC Reveals China Deployed 100+ Vessels Across First Island Chain Following Trump-Xi Summit; Graphic Shows Elevated Density Near Philippines

Taiwan's National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu publicly disclosed on May 25, 2026 that Chinese intelligence showed more than 100 PRC vessels deployed across the first island chain — from the Yellow Sea through the South China Sea to the Western Pacific — in the days following the Trump-Xi Beijing summit. Wu's post included a graphic showing elevated Chinese vessel density near the Philippines, with the deployment timeline directly overlapping the May 24-25 Taiwan Coast Guard standoff at Pratas/Dongsha Islands and the ongoing multi-front West Philippine Sea confrontations. The 100+ vessel deployment represented a coordinated post-summit show of force that analysts characterized as Beijing signaling its unchanged maritime posture despite diplomatic engagement with Washington. The deployment encompassed PLAN warships, China Coast Guard cutters, and maritime militia fishing vessels at multiple SCS flashpoints simultaneously: Scarborough Shoal, Second Thomas Shoal, Pag-asa Island, and Pratas/Dongsha. Philippine defense analysts noted that the concurrent deployments — Xiang Yang Hong 33 Day 19 near Pag-asa, the elevated CCG presence at four WPS features (later confirmed by the AFP at 36 vessels for May 19-25), and the Pratas standoff — reflected a deliberate multi-front pressure strategy rather than isolated incidents. The post-summit deployment was covered widely across Philippine and regional media, reinforcing AFP warnings that the Philippines faces a coordinated 'political, economic, and informational war' over the West Philippine Sea.