MANILA: The Philippines said on Wednesday (Sep 25) its fisheries bureau aircraft was shadowed and approached by a Chinese navy helicopter while on patrol near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, in another face-off between two countries locked in a bitter row over territory.
The Philippine National Security Council (NSC) said the incident took place on Monday and its aircraft was still able to complete its mission. China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It was the latest in the series of air and sea encounters between the two countries that have sparred over contested areas of the South China Sea, including the Scarborough Shoal, one of Asia’s most contested features, which has been occupied by China’s coast guard for more than a decade.
China’s actions violated air safety regulations, the NSC said in a statement.
Based on its interpretation of old maps, China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including the Scarborough Shoal, coveted for its bountiful fish stocks and a stunning turquoise lagoon.
The shoal, named after a British vessel that got stuck there centuries ago, is located 200km off the Philippines, inside its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration found China’s sweeping claims were not supported by international law, a decision Beijing refuses to recognise.
The tribunal did not determine sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal, which it said was a traditional fishing ground for several countries.
