Manila: The Philippine military condemned “dangerous and provocative actions” by China’s air force at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea on Saturday. This marks the first time under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in 2022, that the Philippines has raised concerns about Chinese aircraft specifically, rather than navy or coast guard vessels.
On Thursday morning, two People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) aircraft performed a hazardous maneuver and dropped flares in the path of a NC-212i Philippine Air Force propeller aircraft during a routine maritime patrol over Scarborough Shoal, according to a military statement. This incident “endangered the lives of our personnel undertaking maritime security operations recently within Philippine maritime zones,” said Philippine armed forces chief Romeo Brawner. He added that the Chinese aircraft’s actions interfered with lawful flight operations and violated international aviation safety laws.
China’s embassy in Manila has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Scarborough Shoal, known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines and Huangyan Island in China, remains a flashpoint in the maritime dispute between the two nations. Beijing recently conducted a combat patrol near the shoal, which it seized in 2012.
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China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, a vital route for over $3 trillion in annual shipborne trade, overlapping claims with the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. China dismisses the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which found Beijing’s extensive claims to be without legal foundation under international law.
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In May, the Philippines accused Chinese fishermen of environmental damage in Scarborough Shoal, including cyanide fishing, harvesting protected marine species, and damaging coral reefs. China has denied these allegations.
