Philippines Says China Air Force Did Dangerous Move, Used Flares
(Bloomberg) -- The Philippine military said the Chinese air force carried out “dangerous and provocative actions” over the South China Sea earlier this week, a move that may threaten efforts to ease maritime tensions between the two sides.
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Two aircraft from the People’s Liberation Army dropped flares and executed dangerous maneuvers while a Philippine Air Force patrol was over Scarborough Shoal on Aug. 8, Philippine armed forces chief Romeo Brawner said in a statement Saturday.
No Philippine crew were harmed in the incident, which has been reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs, according to the military statement.
“The incident posed a threat to Philippine Air Force aircraft and its crew, interfered with lawful flight operations in airspace within Philippine sovereignty and jurisdiction, and contravened international law and regulations governing safety of aviation,” the Philippine military chief said.
The Chinese embassy in Manila acknowledged questions by reporters about the incident in a group chat room on messaging app Viber, but did not immediately provide a reply to the requests for comment.
WATCH: Why the South China Sea Could Spark a US-China War
The encounter marks a new point of tension between Manila and Beijing, whose boats have recently been clashing in the South China Sea. The two sides have been trying to ease their maritime spat, and with the Philippines recently holding a sea mission without incident.
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