Philippines accuses China’s navy and coast guard of dangerous interference and intimidation in South China Sea

On the 4th, the Philippine government accused the Chinese navy and coast guard of dangerous interference and "unnecessary intimidation" against Philippine business aircraft and law enforcement vessels in two disputed waters in the South China Sea over the weekend. This included a patrol aircraft being dangerously approached by a Chinese J-16 fighter jet in the airspace of Scarborough Shoal (called Scarborough Shoal in China and Masinloc Beach in the Philippines) on the 3rd, and then on Thitu Island (Thitu) on the 4th. In the waters near the island, coast guard ships and helicopters were used to obstruct Philippine ships from law enforcement.

This is the latest in a series of recent naval and air clashes between Manila and Beijing. The Armed Forces of the Philippines pointed out that a Philippine Cessna 208 propeller aircraft carrying out routine patrol missions was dangerously approached by a Chinese J-16 fighter jet in the airspace of Democracy Reef on the 3rd. The J-16 fighter jet repeatedly maneuvered at very close range, including shuttling in front of and around the Philippine military aircraft, and even deliberately cutting into its wake, posing serious flight safety risks.

The Philippine military denounced the move as "part of a pattern of repeated unsafe and coercive behavior against Philippine government vessels and aircraft performing legitimate missions."

Then on the 4th, the Philippine Coast Guard, Navy and National Police Maritime Team received notifications that foreign fishing boats were suspected of using explosives to illegally fish near Sandy Cays, about 3 nautical miles west of Thitu Island, which is effectively controlled by the Philippines. When the Philippine small boat went to intercept and repeatedly asked to stop the boat via radio, two Chinese Coast Guard ships intervened. They not only blew their whistles and provoked through radio, but also followed and deliberately cut into the Philippine small boat. The closest distance between the two sides was only about 9.1 meters.

At the same time, a Chinese naval helicopter hovered over Philippine law enforcement officers four times in a row. The Philippine Coast Guard directly called this move an "unnecessary act of intimidation."

Under the cover of China's coast guard and military, the fishing boat involved ignored the Philippines' instructions and fled toward the Chinese-controlled Subi Reef. Due to safety concerns, the Philippines was forced to abandon the pursuit and return to Thitu Island.

The Philippine Coast Guard issued a statement stating that the Chinese Coast Guard has no law enforcement authority within the territorial waters of Thitu Island. Its actions not only failed to protect the marine ecological environment, but also allowed vessels suspected of violating the law to escape. The Philippines also refuted the claim that Philippine vessels were "driven away" from the waters by China.

Although Thitu Island covers an area of ​​only 37 hectares and is about 450 kilometers away from the mainland of the Philippines, it is the largest and most strategic island among the nine features controlled by the Philippines in the Nansha Islands. In response to the two sea and air conflicts that occurred over the weekend, the Chinese Embassy in Manila has not responded yet.