The Philippines claims that Chinese military aircraft are "dangerous", and China reveals the truth
2024-08-12
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Our reporter Guo Yuandan
In response to the Philippine military's accusation on the 10th that the PLA interfered with its military aircraft patrol activities in the airspace of Huangyan Island, the PLA Southern Theater Command immediately issued a statement to disclose the truth. In fact, it was the Philippine military aircraft that illegally intruded into the airspace of Huangyan Island, and the PLA warned and drove them away in accordance with the law. Experts interviewed by the Global Times reporter said that with the support and encouragement of countries outside the region, the Philippines thought it had the confidence to provoke China, but facts have proved that doing so has serious consequences.
The PLA Southern Theater Command released a message on the evening of the 10th, saying that on the 8th, an NC-212 aircraft of the Philippine Air Force, despite repeated warnings from China, insisted on illegally intruding into the airspace of Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, interfering with China's normal training and exercise activities. The Chinese People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to conduct identification and verification, tracking and surveillance, warning and expulsion in accordance with the law. The on-site operation was professional, standardized, legitimate and legal. The Southern Theater Command statement demanded that the Philippines immediately stop infringing, provoking, distorting and hyping.
Earlier on the 10th, the Philippine military said in a statement that when a Philippine Air Force NC-212 aircraft was patrolling the airspace near Huangyan Island (called Scarborough Shoal in the Philippines) on the morning of the 8th, two Chinese military aircraft approached and dropped flares on the patrol path of the Philippine military aircraft, and performed "dangerous actions." Reuters reported that this was the first time that the Philippine military accused Chinese military aircraft of performing "dangerous actions" over the South China Sea since Philippine President Marcos took office.
The Philippine military stated that no one on board the Philippine plane was harmed and that it had safely returned to Clark Air Base north of Manila after the incident.
Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Marine Law and Policy of the China Institute of South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on the 11th that the Philippines' hype about the so-called "dangerous approach" of Chinese military aircraft is most directly aimed at conducting close-range surveillance on China's training and exercise activities in the waters near Huangyan Island. The PLA Southern Theater Command announced on the 7th that it would organize a joint combat patrol in the sea and air space near Huangyan Island in the South China Sea.
Ding Duo said that the NC-212 is a small transport plane that carries journalists in addition to Philippine military personnel, and it is not ruled out that American personnel may have boarded the plane as journalists. "The Philippines' move is also intended to provide material for continuing to hype up the situation at sea and exaggerate the so-called 'China threat.' The Philippines has not given up its illegal territorial claims to Huangyan Island, and is also trying to declare its so-called 'territorial claims' in this way."
It is worth noting that two days after the incident, the Philippines began to hype up the so-called "dangerous actions" of Chinese military aircraft. In this regard, military expert Zhang Junshe said in an interview with the Global Times on the 11th: "In order to achieve its goals, the Philippines has continuously changed its provocative actions and used various means to attract international public opinion."
In recent years, Western countries led by the United States have frequently hyped up the "unsafe" approach of Chinese ships and aircraft. The Philippines is the latest country to join. At the same time, on the 8th, the navy and air force of the Philippines, the United States, Canada and Australia were conducting multilateral maritime exercises in the South China Sea. "With the support and encouragement of countries outside the region, the Philippines thought it had the confidence to take the initiative to provoke China, but facts have proved that the consequences are very serious." Zhang Junshe said.
The news released by the Southern Theater Command emphasized that China has indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Island and its adjacent waters. The theater troops are always on high alert, resolutely defending national sovereignty and security, and resolutely maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Zhang Junshe believes that the PLA's joint patrols in the sea and airspace near Huangyan Island are normal training operations, and the frequent harassment by Philippine transport aircraft is very dangerous and will inevitably be warned and driven away by our side. "China's measures are restrained, appropriate and professional."
On July 21, China and the Philippines reached an agreement on managing maritime differences, mainly related to the principles and practices that the Philippines needs to follow when providing basic living supplies to its garrison personnel on the Ren'ai Reef in China's Nansha Islands that has been "running aground" and illegally staying for a long time. Ding Duo said: "From the first supply shipment by the Philippines after the agreement was reached, the agreement has been effectively implemented, but in addition to Ren'ai Reef, the Philippines continues to create maritime disputes in Huangyan Island, Xianbin Reef and other places, and conducts joint exercises with countries outside the region against China. At the same time, the United States, Japan and other countries, as well as different departments and different political forces in the Philippines, have tried to influence maritime issues, which has led to the mutual trust between China and the Philippines and the stability of the maritime situation is still fragile."▲#Deep Good Articles Project#
