China’s foreign ministry said on Friday that two Philippine military aircraft flew into its airspace over Subi Reef, which Manila also claims, on Aug 22.
The Chinese side undertook “necessary countermeasures in accordance with the law, in order to protect its own sovereignty and security”, it said in a statement.
The Philippine government said the BFAR plane was a civilian Cessna aircraft.
The Chinese statement did not mention any Aug 19 incident over Scarborough Shoal, which China seized from the Philippines at the end of a 2012 standoff.
The Scarborough Shoal incident occurred hours after Philippine and Chinese coast guard vessels collided near Sabina Shoal, with the Filipino side reporting structural damage on both of its patrol ships.
The shoal is located 140km west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200km from Hainan island, the nearest Chinese landmass.
The Philippines has also accused a Chinese air force plane of making a “dangerous manoeuvre” and dropping flares in the path of a Filipino air force plane that was patrolling over Scarborough on Aug 10.
In June, the Philippine military said one of its sailors lost a thumb in a confrontation off Second Thomas Shoal when the Chinese coast guard, wielding sticks, knives and an axe, also confiscated or destroyed Philippine equipment including guns.
Beijing has blamed the escalation on Manila and maintains its actions to protect its claims are legal and proportional.
It has continued to press its claims to almost the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
Manila on Saturday urged Beijing to “immediately cease all provocative and dangerous actions that threaten the safety of Philippine vessels and aircraft engaged in legitimate and regular activities within Philippine territory and Exclusive Economic Zone”, as well as freedom of navigation and overflights.
“Such actions undermine regional peace and security, and further erode the image of the PRC (People’s Republic of China) with the international community,” the task force statement said.
Source: CNA
