The Philippines on Sunday accused China’s military and coast guard of harassing Filipino government aircraft and boats in two areas of the West Philippine Sea, part of the disputed South China Sea.
A J-16 fighter interfered with a Filipino Cessna 208 turboprop that was conducting a “routine military patrol” near Bajo de Masinloc (also known as Scarborough Shoal) on Saturday, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“The J-16 repeatedly approached and maneuvered in close proximity to the Philippine aircraft, including maneuvering ahead of and around it and positioning itself within the Philippine aircraft’s wake,” the AFP said.
While the Filipino aircraft completed its mission safely, the Filipino military called the incident “part of a recurring pattern of unsafe and coercive behavior against Philippine government vessels and aircraft conducting lawful operations.”
There was no immediate reaction from the Chinese government on the air incident. The Philippine government said a second confrontation occurred on Sunday in the Spratly Islands, further south in the South China Sea.
Beijing claims most of the sea despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it launched small boats to approach a fishing vessel that it accused of using dynamite to catch fish between Philippine-occupied Thitu Island and China-held Subi Reef.
Two China Coast Guard ships arrived with a Chinese navy helicopter that “circled” over the Filipino team four times.
One of the Chinese ships “shadowed and blocked the Philippine boats,” and at one time came to within 10 yards (9.1 meters)” of one of them, the PCG said.
The Filipinos stopped the pursuit “for safety reasons” and returned to Thitu, it added.
“The China Coast Guard has no law enforcement authority in the territorial sea of Pag-asa (Thitu) Island. By obstructing Philippine authorities, the CCG did not protect the marine environment. It made it easier for a suspected violator to escape,” the PCG said.
The weekend incidents came about two weeks after a China Coast Guard ship rammed a Filipino government fisheries bureau boat in another area of the Spratlys.
Beijing subsequently blamed the actions of the Philippine vessel, which it said “bears full responsibility for the incident.”
The AFP said it will continue documenting and reporting actions that it considers to place Philippine personnel and assets at unnecessary risk.
The military also reiterated that it will continue conducting routine maritime and air patrols in the West Philippine Sea while prioritizing the safety of its personnel and aircraft. —With Agence France Presse