The Chinese authorities have denounced the Philippines this Friday for "violating its sovereignty" after detecting the incursion of three Philippine military aircraft in what Beijing considers its airspace over disputed waters of the South China Sea, an episode that has generated concern within the Chinese Government.
The spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command (Air Force) of the Chinese Army, Colonel Li Jianjian, detailed that the identified aircraft correspond to the models 'Islander', 'C-208', and 'PA-31T', according to information released by the Chinese television network CTCV.
The incident has been recorded over the Scarborough Shoal, territory claimed by both China and the Philippines and which Beijing refers to as Hyangyan Island. "These actions severely violate China's sovereignty and could lead to misunderstandings and misjudgments," stated Li, who subsequently urged Manila to "immediately cease the provocations."
Furthermore, the spokesperson emphasized that "the troops deployed in the operational area of the Southern Theater Command remain on alert and will decisively defend China's national sovereignty," stressing that the Army is prepared to respond to any new incursion.
China claims most of the waters in the area — also disputed with Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei — considering that they are part of its territory as they fall within the so-called "nine-dash line" that appears on the official maps of the Asian giant. This demarcation, established by Beijing, encompasses almost the entire South China Sea and includes archipelagos such as the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands.
In this context, relations between China and the Philippines continue to be marked by tension. Manila accuses Beijing of blocking its resupply missions in what it considers its exclusive economic zone, while the Chinese Government maintains that Philippine vessels are navigating these waters illegally.