Philippines accuses China’s navy of ‘reckless’ flight manoeuvres

MANILA - The Philippine coast guard accused the Chinese navy of performing dangerous flight manoeuvres on Feb 18, when it flew close to a government aircraft patrolling a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. 

“This reckless action posed a serious risk to the safety of the pilots and passengers,” the coast guard said in a statement. 

The Philippine coast guard said the government fisheries aircraft was conducting what it called a maritime domain awareness flight on Feb 18 over the Scarborough Shoal, a rocky atoll and prime fishing patch located inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. 

The Chinese Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A People’s Liberation Army navy helicopter flew as close as 3m to the aircraft, which the Philippine coast guard said was a “clear violation and blatant disregard” for aviation regulations.

Named after a British ship that was grounded on the atoll nearly three centuries ago, the Scarborough Shoal is one of

the most contested maritime features in the South China Sea,

where Beijing and Manila have clashed repeatedly.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a vital waterway for more than US$3 trillion (S$4 trillion) of annual ship-borne commerce, putting it at odds with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

A 2016 arbitration ruling invalidated China’s expansive claim, but Beijing does not recognise the decision. REUTERS