The Philippine coast guard on Tuesday accused a Chinese Navy helicopter of flying "dangerously" close to its patrol plane on Tuesday in a disputed area of the South China Sea.
The Chinese helicopter flew within 10 feet of the Filipino plane as the pilot reportedly warned the Chinese: "You are flying too close, you are very dangerous."
The helicopter was attempting to force a Cessna Caravan turbo-prop plane belonging to the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources out of what China claims is its airspace over the disputed Scarborough Shoal, according to Manila.
The Philippine coast guard said its aircraft was conducting a maritime domain awareness flight over the Shoal – a prime fishing patch located inside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. "This reckless action posed a serious risk to the safety of the pilots and passengers," the coast guard said in a statement.
China responded to the allegations, saying the Philippine aircraft "illegally intruded" into China's airspace. China's military organised naval and air forces to monitor, warn and drive away the aircraft, the Chinese military's Southern Theatre Command said, adding that the move by the Philippines "severely violated" China's sovereignty.
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 feature in the South China Sea, where Beijing and Manila have clashed repeatedly.
China has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, a vital waterway for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, which is crucial to international trade.
A 2016 arbitration ruling invalidated China's expansive claim but Beijing continues to openly defy it.
The Chinese and Philippine militaries have previously clashed on the waters, with both nations blaming the other for aggression.
Last September, China accused a Philippines coast guard ship of deliberately colliding with a Chinese vessel. As the Philippine ship maneuvered, it “deliberately collided” with the Chinese coastguard ship “in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, resulting in a collision”, China had claimed.
In January, Manila mobilised its air and sea assets after accusing China of intimidation with the deployment of a “monster” Chinese coast guard vessel shortly after the Philippines signed two laws defining the country’s maritime zones and right to resources.
The Chinese foreign ministry had then said delimiting the Scarborough Shoal was a “natural step by the Chinese government to lawfully strengthen marine management and is consistent with international law and common practices”.
