Amidst the ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, a recent aerial encounter has raised concerns about safety and escalating disputes in the region. A Chinese military helicopter engaged with a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft over Scarborough Shoal, which the Philippines called Panatag Shoal and Huangyan Dao by the Chinese. The incident, witnessed by journalists onboard the Philippine aircraft, highlights the close proximity and assertive actions of the Chinese military.
The BFAR aircraft was conducting a maritime patrol of the Scarborough Shoal when the incident unfolded. As the 12-seater single-engine aircraft approached the airspace above the shoal, it received radio challenges from Chinese warships in the vicinity. Shortly after, a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Z-9 helicopter, bearing tail number 68, appeared and began shadowing the BFAR plane from approximately 3 km away. The Chinese helicopter issued its own radio challenge, demanding that the Philippine plane “leave immediately”.
The Filipino pilots responded, asserting their right to conduct a lawful maritime patrol within their exclusive economic zone. “Chinese military helicopter, this is Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Philippine government, Cessna Caravan 208 Romeo Papa 107, conducting a lawful maritime patrol within the exclusive economic zone. You are flying too close; you are very dangerous and endangering the lives of our crew and passengers. Keep away and distance your aircraft from us. You are violating the safety standard set by the Federal Aviation Administration and International Civil Aviation Organization,” one of the Filipino pilots said.
What followed was described as a virtual game of hide-and-seek in the sky, as the PLA Navy helicopter executed a series of maneuvers, changing altitude and briefly disappearing from view. The Chinese chopper then approached the BFAR aircraft, coming within an alarmingly close 3 meters. “Oh my God!” exclaimed one of the journalists on board, capturing the tension of the moment. A minute later, the helicopter reappeared, maintaining a distance of only 10 meters. During the three-hour flight, the BFAR plane issued no fewer than 19 radio challenges to the Chinese Navy chopper and other Chinese ships in the area. Alongside the aerial presence, a Chinese maritime militia ship, painted white, was anchored in the shoal, with another militia ship positioned on its western side. A Chinese warship, bearing bow number 552, was spotted approximately 30 km east of the shoal, while another, with bow number 504, was also observed nearby. Two China Coast Guard vessels were anchored about 37 km from Scarborough.
From Beijing’s perspective, the PLA Southern Theater Command defended the actions of its navy helicopter, asserting that the Philippine aircraft had “illegally broke into China’s airspace over Huangyan Island without the permission of the Chinese government”. In response, the PLA Southern Theater Command stated that it “organised naval and air forces to track, monitor, and warn away” the Philippine aircraft in accordance with laws and regulations. China has accused the Philippines of “confusing right and wrong and spreading false narratives”.
Global Times quoted Ding Duo, director of the Research Center for International and Regional Studies at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, as saying that the Philippines is intentionally increasing provocations in the air over Huangyan Dao. Ding suggests that aerial provocations are viewed as lower cost, faster than vessels, and capable of eliciting stronger reactions from the Philippine public due to the perceived higher risks. Ding stated that the PLA will adopt corresponding control measures in both territorial waters and airspace and noted that the risk of causing unexpected incidents is higher.
Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground for Filipinos located approximately 220 km west of Zambales province, has been under Chinese control since 2012 following a two-month standoff with the Philippine Navy. Beijing refers to the shoal as Huangyan Dao, situated about 926 km from Hainan, the nearest major Chinese landmass. Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard condemned the Chinese helicopter’s actions as “reckless,” posing a “serious risk to the safety of the pilots and passengers” and increasing the potential for a “fatal accident”.
This incident occurs within the broader context of the South China Sea disputes, where China claims sovereignty over almost the entire sea, conflicting with the claims of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. A 2016 arbitration ruling invalidated China’s expansive claim, but Beijing has rejected the decision. Confrontations between Chinese and Philippine coast guards have been increasing, particularly at Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal. The escalating tensions between Beijing and the Philippines could potentially trigger a military conflict between the United States and China, given the U.S.’s mutual defense treaty with the Philippines.
In response to China’s actions, the Philippines has been embedding journalists in its sea and air patrols to expose Beijing’s assertive behavior. The Philippines has also been strengthening its security alliances with the U.S., Japan, and other Western countries to bolster its external defense. The Philippine government is expected to file a protest over the incident.
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