11-8-2024 (MANILA) The Philippine military has issued a strong condemnation of what it describes as “dangerous and provocative actions” by the Chinese air force in the contested waters of the South China Sea. The incident, which occurred on Thursday morning, has heightened tensions in an already volatile region.
According to a statement released by the Philippine armed forces, two aircraft from the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) executed a perilous manoeuvre and deployed flares directly in the flight path of a Philippine air force plane. The Philippine aircraft was conducting a routine maritime patrol over the Scarborough Shoal, a territory at the centre of ongoing disputes between the two nations.
General Romeo Brawner, chief of the Philippines armed forces, expressed grave concern over the incident, stating, “This reckless behaviour endangered the lives of our personnel who were simply carrying out maritime security operations within Philippine maritime zones.” Brawner further asserted that the Chinese aircraft’s actions not only interfered with lawful flight operations but also violated international aviation safety protocols.
The Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, has been a flashpoint in the complex territorial disputes that characterise the South China Sea region. China’s claim to almost the entirety of the South China Sea, a vital conduit for over US$3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, has put it at odds with several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
This latest incident underscores the ongoing tensions in the area, despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The court’s decision, which Beijing rejects, stated that China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea had no basis under international law.
The Philippine military’s statement comes at a time of increasing assertiveness by China in the region. Recent years have seen a series of confrontations and standoffs between Chinese vessels and those of other claimant states, particularly the Philippines.
As of press time, the Chinese embassy in Manila had not responded to requests for comment on the incident. However, past patterns suggest that Beijing is likely to defend its actions as necessary for protecting what it considers its sovereign territory.
