Phl to China: Stop provocative, dangerous actions in WPS

The Philippines urged China to “immediately cease” all of its “provocative and dangerous actions” in the West Philippine Sea. 

In a statement on Saturday, the National Task Force of the WPS slammed China for deploying flares against the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft Cessna 208B

Grand Caravan, conducting a routine patrol at Pag-asa Island on 22 August. 

The NTF-WPS said China has “unjustifiably deployed” flares from Zamora Reef against BFAR aircraft that was then monitoring and intercepting poachers encroaching on the Philippines’ Exclusive  Economic Zone (EEZ) and the territorial seas of the maritime features, constituting the Kalayaan Island Group.

“This same BFAR aircraft also faced harassment from the People's Liberation Army Air  Force (PLAAF) on August 19 during a similar MDA flight near Bajo de Masinloc,” the task force further disclosed. 

It noted the PLAAF fighter jet 63270 performed “irresponsible and dangerous maneuvers”—such as deploying flares multiple times at a dangerously close distance of approximately 15  meters from the BFAR Grand Caravan aircraft. 

“The Chinese fighter jet was in no way provoked, yet its actions demonstrated hazardous intent that jeopardized the safety of the personnel onboard the BFAR aircraft,” the task force stressed. 

The Philippines maintained that China’s recent actions regional peace and security, and “further erode the Beijing’s image to the international community.”

“We firmly reiterate our call on the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to immediately cease all provocative and dangerous actions that threaten the safety of Philippine vessels and aircraft engaged in legitimate and regular activities within Philippine territory and EEZ and the right of all vessels and aircraft exercising freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea,” the NTF-WPS said.

Zamora Reef, also known as Subi Reef, is one of the key features in the WPS within the territorial sea of Pag-asa Island, that China “illegally reclaimed” and militarized.

The Philippines maintained that Zamora Reef has been declared as a low-tide elevation by the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, which means it does not generate a territorial sea or an EEZ of its own.

The NTF-WPS reiterated that the Philippines would continue "exercising its rights to strengthen maritime domain awareness within our sovereign territory, national airspace, and EEZ, as well as in the high seas, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the  Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award."