China claims almost the entire South China Sea and has brushed off competing claims by the Philippines and other countries, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
Beijing's People's Liberation Army (PLA) said Friday that two Philippine C-208 and one N-22 aircraft "illegally ventured into the airspace around China's Nansha islands and reefs", also known as the Spratly Islands, a day earlier.
The Chinese armed forces "maintained control over the entire journey, warned and expelled" the aircraft, the statement by the PLA's Southern Theatre Command said.
The command released an audio clip it said showed a Chinese pilot warning one of the Philippine aircraft that it was "posing a security threat to Chinese islands and reefs", and ordering it to "leave immediately to avoid misjudgements".
The Philippine Coast Guard said Thursday that Manila's fisheries bureau had flown two aircraft over the Spratly Islands to "assert the Philippines' sovereignty".
The planes "consistently challenged the illegal presence of Chinese maritime forces... (and) documented the unlawful activities conducted by the Chinese Coast Guard and Maritime Militia", the coast guard said.
Beijing and Manila have fought a war of words this week over the opposing side's conduct in the critical waterway, through which trillions of dollars of trade is estimated to pass each year.
On Tuesday, the Philippine Coast Guard said a Chinese navy helicopter flew as close as three metres (10 feet) of a surveillance flight carrying a group of journalists over the disputed Scarborough Shoal, condeming the "dangerous" manouvres.
An AFP photographer on that flight described seeing the helicopter tail the fisheries bureau's Cessna before drawing so close to the wing that they could see personnel on board filming them.
In Friday's statement, the PLA published footage it said showed the Philippine plane's "illegal" entry into China's airspace, though the clip showed the aircraft travelling some distance away from its Chinese counterpart.
The PLA said the plane had "used unprofessional and dangerous methods to deliberately cut across the altitude level of our helicopter as it conducted a regular air patrol, making a potential mishap extremely easy".
Australia says China warned of 'live fire' drill off east coast
Sydney (AFP) Feb 21, 2025 -
China warned Australia Friday of potential "live fire" naval drills in international waters off the eastern coast, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, as commercial flights were told to steer clear of the area.
Beijing described the manoeuvres as training exercises that were "safe, standard and professional" and in line with international law, without commenting on whether live ammunition was used.
Canberra's defence department has been monitoring the Chinese navy vessels -- a frigate, a cruiser and a supply tanker -- since they were spotted last week.
Albanese said the fleet had on Friday alerted Australian officials that it may start conducting live fire drills, and that ships and planes should steer clear.
"This is activity that has occurred in waters consistent with international law," Albanese said.
"There has been no imminent risk of danger to any Australian assets or New Zealand assets, and that's why this notification occurs."
Asked about the drills on Friday, China's foreign ministry said the country's military had "organised a naval formation to conduct training and exercises in distant waters".
"The exercises were conducted in a safe, standard, and professional manner at all times, in accordance with relevant international laws and practices," ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong earlier voiced concern over the exercises.
"We will be discussing this with the Chinese," she told national broadcaster ABC from Johannesburg where she was attending a G20 meeting.
Australia's air safety agency warned commercial flights to alter their course after receiving "reports of live firing in international waters".
"As a precaution, we have advised airlines with flights planned in the area," government agency Airservices Australia said in a statement.
"We are also working together to coordinate advice to operators and pilots."
Qantas and its subsidiary budget airline Jetstar temporarily adjusted some flights between Australia and New Zealand, industry sources said.
Virgin Australia was also heeding the advice, while Air New Zealand said it had "modified flight paths as needed to avoid the area".
- Close watch -
Although the ships were sailing in international waters, Defence Minister Richard Marles has described their presence as "unusual".
"We are keeping a close watch on them, and we will make sure we are watching every move," he told Sky News on Thursday.
"It's not unprecedented. But it is an unusual event."
The ships were reportedly within 150 nautical miles (around 280 kilometres) of Australia's mainland earlier this week.
Canberra rebuked Beijing last week for "unsafe" military conduct, accusing a Chinese fighter jet of dropping flares near an Australian air force plane patrolling the South China Sea.
Beijing swiftly hit back, accusing the Australian plane of "violating Chinese sovereignty and endangering Chinese national security".
It was the latest in a string of tense encounters between China and Australia in the increasingly contested airspace and shipping lanes of the Asia-Pacific region.
A Chinese fighter jet was accused of intercepting an Australian Seahawk helicopter in international airspace in 2024, dropping flares across its flight path.
In 2023, a Chinese destroyer was accused of bombarding submerged Australian navy divers with sonar pulses in waters off Japan, causing minor injuries.
Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
