Philippines Condemns Dangerous Actions by Chinese Air Force in South China Sea

The Philippine military has condemned 'dangerous and provocative' actions by Chinese aircraft at the Scarborough Shoal. This marks the first complaint under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Two Chinese aircrafts endangered Philippine personnel and violated international aviation law. The Shoal is a flashpoint in the ongoing maritime rivalry.

The Philippine military has strongly condemned 'dangerous and provocative actions' by China's air force at the contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

This is the first instance under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's administration where the Philippines has raised concerns about aggressive behavior from Chinese aircraft. On Thursday morning, two aircraft from China's People's Liberation Army Air Force executed a dangerous maneuver and released flares in the path of a Philippine NC-212i propeller aircraft on a routine maritime patrol.

This maneuver 'endangered the lives of our personnel undertaking maritime security operations,' according to Philippine armed forces chief Romeo Brawner. He added that the Chinese actions interfered with lawful flight operations and violated international aviation safety laws. The Chinese embassy in Manila has not yet responded to the allegations.

The Scarborough Shoal is one of two major flashpoints in the Philippines' longstanding maritime dispute with China. Fishermen from both countries frequent the area, which China seized in 2012 and has claimed under the name Huangyan island. China rejects a 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that dismissed its broad claims to the South China Sea, an area crucial for global maritime trade.

(With inputs from agencies.)