The Diplomat (April 15) cited the Philippines’ Secretary of Foreign Affairs as saying that only a handful of Chinese militia vessels remained at Whitsun Reef -- called the Julian Felipe Reef by the Philippines and Niu’e Jiao by China -- as of April 13. Till recently the Philippines defense department counted 220 Chinese vessels at the reef.

(Comment: Whitsun Reef is 170 nautical miles west of Palawan in the northern part of the Spratly Islands, where China has built up several large artificial islands on formerly submerged reefs and constructed major military installations.)