Former US Air Force officer Ray Powell he believes that China’s latest move of sending its “Monster Ship” towards the Sabina Shoal and other parts of the West Philippine Sea sends a message that conveys power.

In his post on social media platform X on Monday, Powell said China Coast Guard 5901 also known as “The Monster” has visited many hotspots in the South China Sea this week.

Powell said this include Second Thomas Shoal, Flat Island, Nanshan Island, and Sabina Shoal.

According to Powell, “The Monster” reached up to an estimated 40 nautical miles from Palawan near El Nido.

“Honestly the entire point of having a 12,000 ton, 165-meter Coast Guard Ship is simple - the message is we are big and we are bigger than you.  So its a message of aggression and coercion, almost wherever that ship goes, that is the message,” Powell told ABS-CBN News.

The former US Air Force official said the latest harassment between the China Coast Guard and the Philippine troops in the West Philippine Sea is also a clear act of aggression.

“I think there is no other way that you could classify that as a simple accident or misunderstanding. I think that the government’s revised statements that came out over the last 24-hours or so have been more accurate that this was clearly an act of aggression by the China Coast Guard against the Philippine resupply," Powell said.

Although Powell is hesitant in giving an advice to the Philippine government on what to do with what happened in the WPS, he believes that officials of the Philippine government have much better information in terms of its options.

Powell said it is unfortunate to hear higher Philippine government officials calling the incident an accident and misunderstanding.

According to Powell, it would be appropriate for the Philippine government to approach the US government and request formal consultations under Article III of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

“I think there needs to be discussion with Chinese government at appropriate levels to communicate how serious event this was and I have advocated not for a week or so that it would be appropriate for the Philippine government to approach the United States and request formal consultations under Article III of the Mutual Defense Treaty,” according to Powell.

Powell does not support the idea of announcing the Philippines’ next rotation and resupply mission to the WPS.

“I think the problem with the pre-announcement is that it looks like a lot of coordination or almost a request for permission from China to allow or to go through…I think that’s the problem with that approach,” Powell believes.

The use of bladed weapons  by Chinese troops against troops of the Philippine government is very disturbing and "escalatory," he said.

“We certainly don't want to see things get into the point where that becomes regular occurrence and so, it is certainly and disturbingly escalatory,” according to Powell.