On Aug. 8, an incident involving Philippine and Chinese military aircraft occurred over the disputed waters of the South China Sea, leading to divergent accounts from both nations.
220th Airlift Wing, Philippine Air Force (PAF), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), a Philippine Air Force NC-212i aircraft was conducting routine maritime patrol over Bajo de Masinloc (also known as Scarborough Shoal) when it encountered two aircraft from China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. stated that the PLAAF aircraft executed a “dangerous maneuver” and dropped flares in the path of the Filipino aircraft at approximately 9 a.m. local time. The NC-212i reportedly returned safely to Clark Air Base an hour later without injuries to its crew.
The AFP condemned the action as “dangerous and provocative,” asserting that it interfered with lawful flight operations within Philippine sovereignty and jurisdiction. Gen. Brawner emphasized that the incident contravened international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.
In contrast, China’s PLA Southern Theater Command presented a markedly different account of the events. In a written statement, they claimed that the Philippine NC-212 aircraft “illegally intruded” into the airspace of China’s Huangyan Dao (the Chinese name for Scarborough Shoal), despite repeated warnings. The Chinese military asserted that the Philippine aircraft disturbed their “normal training activities” in the area.
The PLA Southern Theater Command reported that they responded by organizing maritime and aerial forces to conduct identification, verification, tracking, monitoring, warning, and ultimately driving away the Philippine aircraft. They described their actions as “professional and legitimate,” emphasizing China’s “indisputable sovereignty” over Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters.
This incident underscores the ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea, with both nations claiming sovereign rights over the area. It comes shortly after the Philippines and China had agreed on a provisional arrangement for rotation and reprovisioning missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in nearby Ayungin Shoal, as announced by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs in July.
As tensions continue to simmer in the region, both sides maintain their respective positions, with the Philippines asserting its right to conduct patrols within its claimed territory, and China warning against what it perceives as infringement and provocation in areas it considers under its sovereignty.
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