<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/24/philippines-accuses-beijing-of-dangerously-firing-flares-near-its-aircraft-in-south-china-sea>
"The Philippine government accused China on Saturday of firing flares just
metres away from one of its aircraft as it flew patrols over the South China
Sea in the past week.
A Chinese fighter jet “engaged in irresponsible and dangerous manoeuvres” on 19
August as the plane from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
made a “maritime domain awareness flight” near Scarborough Shoal, the National
Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said.
The unprovoked Chinese “harassment” included “deploying flares multiple times
at a dangerously close distance of approximately 15 metres from the BFAR Grand
Caravan aircraft”, the task force added in a statement.
Flares were also launched near the same plane from the China-held Subi Reef on
22 August as the patrol craft was “monitoring and intercepting poachers
encroaching upon the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and the territorial
seas” of the Philippines, it added.
Flares are usually employed by military aircraft as decoys to protect them from
missiles, but also for illumination.
Beijing claims most of the South China Sea and has been involved in tense
maritime confrontations with Manila on the strategic waterway in recent months,
sparking fears of armed conflict that could draw in the US, a Filipino military
ally.
China’s foreign ministry said on Friday that two Philippine military aircraft
flew into its airspace over Subi Reef, which Manila also claims, on 22 August.
The Chinese side undertook “necessary countermeasures in accordance with the
law, in order to protect its own sovereignty and security”, it said in a
statement.
The Philippine government said the BFAR plane was a civilian Cessna aircraft."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
