Manila [Philippines], December 8 (ANI): The Philippine Coast Guard reported that Chinese vessels launched three flares at a Philippine patrol aircraft during a routine flight over the disputed South China Sea on December 6, marking another instance of Beijing’s aggressive actions to reinforce its territorial claims, according to The Epoch Times (TET).
Jay Tarriela, spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, said the aircraft departed a local airstrip on the morning of December 6 for a maritime domain awareness mission over the Kalayaan Island Group in the Spratly Islands. The mission, carried out in coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), aimed to monitor marine conditions, assess fish stock levels, and evaluate the welfare of Filipino fishermen in the region.
Tarriela confirmed that the flares were launched from the Chinese-controlled Subi Reef, known as Zamora Reef in the Philippines. Subi Reef is one of seven disputed, primarily submerged reefs that China has converted into artificial island bases in the Spratly Islands, several of which feature military-grade runways and missile systems.
During the patrol, the Philippine aircraft also detected a vessel belonging to the People’s Liberation Army Navy about 14 nautical miles northwest of Sabina Shoal (Escoda Shoal in the Philippines), which issued radio challenges while the aircraft operated within Philippine sovereign rights. Tarriela emphasized that the flight complied with international regulations, including the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s “nine-dash line” claim over much of the South China Sea.
China, which has repeatedly rejected the 2016 ruling, has not issued an immediate response to the latest incident. Similar flare incidents occurred in August 2024, when Chinese aircraft targeted Philippine patrol missions at dangerously close range, drawing criticism from the United States. Australia also condemned a Chinese flare release near its maritime patrol aircraft in October 2024 as “unsafe and unprofessional.”
The recent incident underscores ongoing tensions in the South China Sea as the Philippines and its allies continue to assert their maritime rights amid China’s expansive territorial claims.
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