The United States Ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay Carlson, has strongly condemned the recent actions of a Chinese navy helicopter that reportedly harassed a Philippine government aircraft patrolling the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, Al Jazeera reports.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Ambassador Carlson described the Chinese maneuvers as “dangerous” and called on Beijing to “refrain from coercive actions and settle its disputes peacefully in accordance with international law.”
The incident, which took place during a Philippine Coast Guard surveillance flight carrying journalists, has sparked outrage and a formal diplomatic protest from the Philippines. The Philippine Coast Guard reported that the Chinese helicopter approached within a mere 10 feet of the Philippine aircraft, a 12-seater Cessna Caravan.
Journalists aboard the plane described a tense 30-minute standoff as the Philippine aircraft continued its low-altitude patrol around the Scarborough Shoal. The Chinese helicopter reportedly hovered closely above or to the left of the Philippine plane in cloudy weather.
Philippine media outlet Inquirer.Net. reported that the pilot of the Philippine aircraft, operated by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, issued at least 19 radio challenges to the Chinese helicopter and ships in the area. They characterized the incident as a dangerous “hide-and-seek in the sky.”
In response, China has disputed the Philippines’ account, claiming that the Philippine aircraft had “illegally intruded” into Chinese airspace and accusing Manila of “spreading false narratives.”
Despite the incident, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries have reiterated their commitment to asserting their sovereignty, sovereign rights, and maritime jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.
The Scarborough Shoal, named after a British ship that ran aground there centuries ago, is a highly contested maritime feature in the South China Sea. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a vital waterway that has put it at odds with several neighboring countries, including the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam, all of whom have competing maritime claims in the region.
A 2016 international arbitration ruling invalidated China’s expansive claim to the South China Sea, but Beijing has refused to recognize the decision.
