MANILA, Philippines — Several Chinese maritime militia vessels have changed course and are headed toward the ASEAN and Indian ships conducting a joint maritime exercise, Stanfords Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation noted on Monday.

Ships from the navies of the Philippines, Singapore, India, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are conudcting the inaugural ASEAN-India Maritime Exercises (AIME), which started May 2 and runs until May 8.

According to Ray Powell, project lead at Gordian Knot Center project Myoushu (South China Sea), the first batch of Chinese militia vessels changed course and steamed toward the group of AIME vessels at around 7 p.m. on Sunday evening.

“Theyre not moving very fast and it remains to be seen if both formations will stay on course,” Powell, who served in the US Air Force, told Philstar.com in a message.

A separate group of three Chinese vessels left the area of Zamora Reef (Subi Reef) on Monday morning and headed towards the area where the vessels are conducting joint exercises.