️
The Philippines has released footage showing a patrol aircraft flying past a militarized Chinese artificial island on Saturday while conducting surveillance in the contested Spratly Islands, and claims the Chinese side fired flares toward the plane.
The "routine" maritime domain awareness flight was jointly conducted by the Philippine fisheries bureau and coast guard over the Spratly’s Kalayaan Island Group "as part of its legitimate mandate to protect the country’s maritime jurisdiction and the livelihood of Filipino fishermen," stated the Coast Guard Spokesperson Tarriela.
Two Chinese coast guard cutters and a hospital ship were observed at Subi Reef, along with 29 ships from what analysts refer to as the "Maritime Militia."
China has dismissed the term, insisting the vessels are crewed by patriotic fishermen. However, these ships are rarely seen engaging in fishing and have frequently deployed to disputed waters for weeks at a time, in what analysts say are "gray-zone" occupations to back Beijing's claims.
Tarriela said Chinese personnel fired a total of three flares toward the Philippine plane "during its lawful overflight." Tarriela said a Chinese warship issued radio challenges roughly 17 miles southeast of Sabina Shoal, another contentious feature in the China-Philippines dispute. He stressed that the Philippine patrol aircraft was "flying well within Philippine sovereignty rights.”
