The Chinese military claimed that it drove away three Philippine aircraft which "illegally" entered the airspace near China's Nansha Qundao in the disputed South China Sea.
The incident happened on Thursday, a few days after the Chinese navy helicopter flew extremely close to a Philippines patrol plane near Scarborough Shoal, drawing condemnation from the US.
🚨HOURS AGO: A CCP navy helicopter was caught flying within 10 feet of a Philippine patrol plane in the South China Sea.
— POLARIS National Security (@polarisnatsec) February 18, 2025
We must revitalize the U.S. Navy so President Trump has the tools to deter Chinese aggression and prevent war in the Indo-Pacific. pic.twitter.com/nFePFiL61D
The Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) tracked and warned off two C-208 aircraft and one N-22 aircraft of the Philippines that were found near Nansha Qundao, spokesperson of the command Tian Junli said.
Tian accused the Philippines of repeatedly distorting China's legitimate and lawful maritime rights, and of engaging in smear campaigns, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Reacting to the earlier incident of the Chinese helicopter flying too close to a Cessna Caravan turboprop plane belonging to the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Tian said the Philippine aircraft unlawfully entered Chinese airspace over Huangyan Dao, erratically altering altitude multiple times.
ALSO READ:Â US slams 'unsafe, irresponsible' Chinese navy helicopter- Philippine plane standoff in South China Sea
He claimed that the aircraft descended 920 meters in just 218 seconds and flew close to the Chinese patrol helicopter and called the manoeuvre as "unprofessional and dangerous."
Noting that the Chinese forces are on high alert to defend its sovereignty and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, Tian warned that "such clumsy tactics (by the Philippines) are destined to fail." He accused Manila of trying to promote its "unlawful" claims over the South China Sea by distorting facts.
In the past two years, confrontations between Chinese and Philippine coast guards have gone up at Scarborough and Second Thomas Shoal where a grounded Philippine navy ship has served as a military territorial outpost since 1999 but has since been closely surrounded by Chinese coast guard, navy and other ships.
