The Chinese military announced that it had issued a warning to Philippine Air Force aircraft in the South China Sea, where the two countries share a territorial dispute.

According to a statement from the Chinese military, on the 8th, Philippine military aircraft “repeatedly intruded into our airspace despite repeated warnings from the Chinese military” over the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, and so they “took warning and repelling action.” They claim that their actions were “legitimate” and that they “will resolutely safeguard our national sovereignty and security.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine military issued a statement on the 10th saying it “strongly condemns the dangerous and provocative actions by the Chinese military.”

According to the Philippine military, on the 8th, a Chinese military aircraft dropped flares in the path of a Philippine military aircraft on patrol near the Scarborough Shoal, which is under Chinese effective control. The Philippine military claims that this “poses a threat to the crew and disrupts lawful flights in airspace under our jurisdiction, in violation of international law.”

According to local media in the Philippines, this is the first time that the Philippine military has criticized China for dangerous flying.

China and the Philippines have been in a deepening conflict over territorial claims in the South China Sea, but just last month the foreign ministers of the two countries met and reached an agreement to ease tensions.

Source: Japanese