Chinese fighter intercepts Philippine plane over disputed shoal, Manila says

By Adrian Portugal

OVER THE SCARBOROUGH SHOAL, South China Sea -A Chinese jet fighter “intercepted” a Philippine plane carrying journalists during a patrol flight over the Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday, the Manila authorities said, days after two Chinese vessels collided in the realm while allegedly making an attempt to block a Philippine provide mission.

A GWN journalist aboard the Philippine Coast Guard flight watched as the Chinese fighter closed in on the small Cessna Caravan turboprop. At one level the Chinese fighter got here within about 200 toes (61 metres) as it manoeuvred behind, above, and alongside the plane, PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela said.

It was the latest signal of the persistent tensions between the 2 nations in the disputed South China Sea atoll.

“While they were conducting the flight, they have been intercepted by a Chinese fighter jet,” Tarriela told a press convention held afterwards.

The encounter lasted 20 minutes, during which radio calls for from one of two Chinese navy ships noticed below ordering the Philippine plane to “leave immediately” might be heard from the cockpit.

The same day, two U.S. warships – littoral fight ship USS Cincinnati and the destroyer USS Higgins – had been noticed about 30 nautical miles away from the shoal, Tarriela said.

China’s navy claimed it “drove away” the U.S. destroyer after it entered the realm without permission, but Washington said its ships had been conducting lawful freedom of navigation operations.

Located 200 km (124 miles) off the Philippines and inside its exclusive financial zone, Scarborough Shoal is valued for its wealthy fishing grounds and sheltered lagoon.

On Monday, the PCG despatched three vessels to carry provides to dozens of Filipino fishermen in the atoll. It said Chinese vessels then intervened to perform what it called a “hazardous” attempt to forestall the supply, main to the first identified collision between two Chinese ships in the realm.

China has not confirmed if any crew had been injured, and ignored Manila’s offer of medical and rescue support.

Neither China’s defence ministry nor its embassy in Manila has commented on the incident. On Monday, China’s coast guard said it took essential measures to expel Philippine vessels from waters around the shoal.

The United States also condemned Beijing’s “reckless” actions.

China claims virtually your complete South China Sea via a U-shaped “nine-dash line,” a declare invalidated by a 2016 arbitration ruling that also discovered China’s blockade of the Scarborough shoal illegal.

Sovereignty over the shoal stays unresolved, but China, which rejects the ruling, has maintained a fixed presence at the reef since seizing it in 2012, deploying coastguard vessels and “maritime militia”.

At least 4 Chinese coast guard vessels, and a number of ships recognized by the PCG as “maritime militia,” had been seen in the realm during Wednesday’s patrol flight.

(Writing by Karen Lema; Editing by David Stanway)