The Philippines' military condemned "dangerous and provocative" actions of two Chinese Air Force jets that dropped flares in front of a Philippine Air Force plane conducting maritime patrols over the disputed Scarborough Shoal, endangering the pilots.
Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. commented on the Chinese air force's actions, calling them "unjustified, illegal, and reckless," risking the lives of the Filipino crew and raising concerns about potential instability in Philippine airspace. He expressed support for the Armed Forces of the Philippines and urged China to take responsible action.
China claims sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal (referred to as Huangyan Island), while the Philippines asserts its maritime rights based on UNCLOS and an international ruling that deemed Scarborough Shoal a high-tide feature with no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf, contradicting China's claims.
China defended its operations, stating that the Philippine aircraft illegally entered Chinese airspace, causing disruption to their training activities, and claimed indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Island and adjacent waters where Scarborough Shoal is located.
The Philippines affirmed its commitment to patrol its Exclusive Economic Zone in accordance with international law.
The tension between Manila and Beijing has escalated, with China claiming most of the South China Sea and seizing shoals after standoffs with the Philippines, including a previous clash at Second Thomas Shoal.
This is the first time the Philippines has complained of such dangerous actions by Chinese aircraft since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: AP News, NBC News, South China Morning Post, Barron's, Newsmax, Agenzia Nova, Philippine News Agency, Tribune, Philstar, Faharas, GMA Network, NDTV, RFI, Devdiscourse, Interaksyon, Inquirer, Headtopics, Harrow Times, Manila Times.