South China Sea: Chinese military says 3 Philippine aircraft expelled from Spratly Islands
China's military said it had expelled three Philippine aircraft from the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Thursday, marking the latest in a series of dangerous aerial encounters amid
heightened bilateral tensions
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'On February 20, two Philippine C-208 aircraft and one N-22 aircraft illegally entered the airspace near China's Nansha Islands [China's name for the Spratlys],' said Senior Colonel Tian Junli, a spokesman for the People's Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command, on Friday.
Tian added that the PLA 'maintained full control of the situation, issued warnings, and drove the aircraft away'.
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Chinese military helicopter and Philippine patrol plane in close encounter over Scarborough Shoal
Chinese military helicopter and Philippine patrol plane in close encounter over Scarborough Shoal
The C-208 is a modified aircraft equipped for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations, while the N-22 is a twin-turboprop, high-wing light utility aircraft.
The PLA also released a recording of the warning, delivered in both Chinese and English: 'Philippine military N-22, you are endangering the security of the Chinese reef. Leave immediately and keep far off so as to avoid any misunderstanding.'
The Spratly Islands are a vast group of reefs, shoals, atolls and small islets in the South China Sea. Situated around midway between Vietnam and the Philippines, and north of insular Malaysia, they are claimed – wholly or in part – by several countries in the region.
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'Recently, the Philippine side has disregarded the facts, repeatedly discrediting China's legitimate actions to safeguard its rights,' Tian said, referencing
an incident on Tuesday when another 'Philippine C-208 aircraft illegally entered China's airspace over the Scarborough Shoal, repeatedly changing its altitude'.
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