MANILA. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has condemned recent actions by the Chinese air force in the South China Sea as “unjustified, illegal, and reckless.” This marks a significant escalation in tensions between Manila and Beijing over disputed maritime territories.
On Saturday, both Manila and Beijing accused each other of disrupting military operations around the Scarborough Shoal, a major flashpoint in the region. The incident, which took place on Thursday, saw two Chinese aircraft dropping flares in the path of a Philippine patrol aircraft. The Philippine military denounced these actions as “dangerous and provocative.”
In response, the Chinese military’s Southern Theatre Command accused the Philippines of “illegally intruding” into its airspace and disrupting its training exercises.
President Marcos has urged China to act responsibly both in maritime and aerial domains. He expressed his concern about potential instability in the region, stating in a statement posted on the social media platform X: “We have hardly started to calm the waters, and it is already worrying that there could be instability in our airspace.”
The Scarborough Shoal, a highly contested maritime feature, continues to be a source of tension over sovereignty and fishing rights. Chester Cabalza, president of the Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, suggested that China’s actions could be a “show of force” linked to Manila’s participation in multi-nation drills aimed at promoting freedom of navigation and overflight. Cabalza warned, “After a series of gray zone tactics at sea, we may probably see dogfights up in the sky if China continues its growing antagonism in the Philippines’ air and defense zones.”
China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, a crucial maritime route for over $3 trillion in annual shipborne commerce. This includes areas also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Beijing has rejected a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which invalidated its expansive claims under international law.
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Carlo Juancho FuntanillaFrontend Developer, WordPress, Shopify
Contributing Editor
AMA ACLC San Pablo
