Philippines Reports Chinese Navy Helicopter Shadowing Its Aircraft During Patrol, According to Reuters

By Karen Lema

MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines announced on Wednesday that a Chinese navy helicopter shadowed and approached its fisheries bureau aircraft during a patrol near the contested Scarborough Shoal. This incident marks another escalation in the ongoing territorial disputes between the two nations.

The Philippine National Security Council (NSC) reported that the encounter occurred on Monday, but the aircraft successfully completed its mission despite the provocation.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of confrontations between the Philippines and China, particularly over various contested areas in the South China Sea. The Scarborough Shoal has been a major point of contention, with China occupying it through its coast guard for over a decade.

The NSC stated that China’s actions breached air safety regulations. China’s embassy in Manila has not offered any comments regarding the Philippines’ account of the incident.

China claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, including the Scarborough Shoal, based on its interpretation of historical maps. The shoal is prized for its rich fishing resources and beautiful turquoise lagoon and is located about 200 km (124 miles) from the Philippines, within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

A 2016 ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration declared that China’s broad claims lack grounding in international law, a decision that Beijing has refused to accept. However, the tribunal did not settle sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal, which it acknowledged as a traditional fishing area for multiple countries.

CHINESE ‘INTERFERENCE’

In a separate development, the Philippine defense minister urged China to withdraw its vessels from the Philippines’ EEZ and accused Beijing of attempting to interfere with the nation’s defense operations, which include training exercises with a U.S. mid-range missile system.

Reports last week indicated that the United States plans to maintain the missile system, capable of launching cruise missiles that could target Chinese sites.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro expressed to the media that while China claims to be concerned, its statements are interference in Philippine affairs. He challenged China to "lead by example," suggesting it should dismantle its nuclear arsenal and withdraw from the West Philippine Sea as well as Mischief Reef, a militarized artificial island created by China in the Philippine EEZ.

China has voiced apprehension over the deployment of the missile system in the Philippines, alleging that it contributes to an arms race. The Chinese embassy in Manila condemned the deployment, asserting that it jeopardizes regional security and incites geopolitical tension.

China has its own extensive conventional missile arsenal, including intermediate-range missiles. On Wednesday, it claimed a successful launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean, likely raising international alarms regarding its nuclear program.

Philippine military chief Romeo Brawner expressed his desire to see the missile system stationed in the Philippines permanently, stating, "I would like to have the Typhons here in the Philippines forever."