The United States lambasted China Wednesday for the “dangerous” maneuvers conducted by its military helicopter next to a Philippine aircraft over the Bajo de Masinloc.

In a post on X, US Ambassador to the Philippines Marykay Carlson called on China to refrain from its “coercive actions” and adhere to the rules-based order to settle disputes.

“We condemn the dangerous maneuvers by a PLA (People’s Liberation Army) Navy helicopter that endangered pilots and passengers on a Philippine air mission,” Carlson said.

“We call on China to refrain from coercive actions and to settle its disputes peacefully in accordance with international law,” she added.

On Tuesday, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that a PLA Navy helicopter with tail number 68 performed “dangerous flight maneuvers” close to a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft flying over Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal.

According to PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, the “reckless action” of the Chinese helicopter “posed a serious risk” to the safety of the pilots and passengers conducting a maritime domain awareness flight within the country’s territorial airspace.

Tarriela pointed out the PLA Navy’s “clear violation and blatant disregard” of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s international aviation regulations.

For its part, China defended the action, saying the Philippine aircraft “illegally trespassed” into its airspace without permission.

Chinese state-owned media Global Times said Senior Col. Tian Junli, PLA Southern Theater Command spokesperson, also accused the Philippines of spreading false narratives.

“The PLA Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces and tracked, monitored, warned and expelled it in accordance with laws and regulations,” Tian said.

Diplomatic protest

The National Maritime Council (NMC) said the Philippine government will file a diplomatic protest against China over the incident which it described as a “blatantly hazardous action.”

The NMC insisted on the country’s undeniable sovereignty and jurisdiction over Bajo de Masinloc, which lies 120 nautical miles from Zambales and is also claimed by China.

“China’s illegal, coercive, and aggressive behavior will not deter the Philippines from continuing the conduct of its routine maritime operations in accordance with its sovereignty over the shoal,” the council said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The Philippines will not waver in its duty to safeguard its maritime interests over the shoal, in accordance with Republic Act 12064 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, and international law, particularly UNCLOS and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award. The Philippine government will also issue a formal diplomatic protest on this grave incident,” it added.

China claims the vast South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, which is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

China’s historic “nine-dash line claim,” however, was rejected by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 after it favored Manila’s sovereign rights in the area. China has rejected the award, calling it “illegal, null and void.”