The aerial view of China's Huangyan Dao Photo: Courtesy of South China Institute of Environmental Sciences under China Ministry of Ecology and Environment

China had warned off a Philippine aircraft in a professional manner and in accordance with the law, after the Philippine aircraft illegally entered the airspace over China’s Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) said on Saturday. 

The NC-212 aircraft of the Philippine Air Force had illegally intruded into the airspace over Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, and interfered with China’s regular training activities despite repeated warnings from the Chinese side, according to an official release by the theater command on Saturday evening.

The command deployed maritime and aerial forces to identify, verify, track, monitor, warn and drive the intruding aircraft away in accordance with the law. The operation was conducted professionally, with adherence to legal standards, the theater command said.

The command’s statement came as the Philippine military hyped the so-called “dangerous” aerial maneuvers by Chinese aircraft against its operations.  

The Philippine military said in a statement that two aircraft of the PLA Air Force executed “a dangerous maneuver” and dropped flares in the path of a NC-212 Philippine air force aircraft conducting a routine maritime patrol on Thursday morning.

It accused the Chinese aircraft of interfering with “lawful flight operations and violating international law on aviation safety.”

In response, the Southern Theater Command said China maintains indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters. The theater command's forces remain on high alert, and are committed to safeguarding national sovereignty and security, while also maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea.

The Command urged the Philippines to immediately cease its infringements, provocations, distortions and hypes.

Global Times