Chinese Fighter Jet Intercepts Philippine Aircraft Over Bajo de Masinloc

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday confirmed that Chinese fighter aircraft intercepted Philippine government aircraft conducting maritime patrols over Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal. AFP spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said a Chinese J-10 fighter intercepted Philippine aircraft during regular maritime air patrols over the disputed feature on September 2. "Regular maritime air patrol domain awareness flights were conducted over Bajo de Masinloc. They were intercepted by fighter aircraft from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force or the PLA Navy," Trinidad said at a press briefing. "On one instance, the crosshairs of the fighter aircraft had our aircraft on it," he added. Trinidad said the incident was among the actions China was using to demonstrate control over the area and weaken the Philippines’ resolve to continue its patrols. Rather than deter the Philippines, however, Trinidad said such actions had strengthened the AFP’s determination to continue performing its mandate. "Our resolve to keep performing our mandate has never been stronger," Trinidad said. He said the Philippines would continue working with its ally, the United States, as well as other like-minded countries such as Japan and Australia to support international law in the region. GMA News Online has reached out to the Chinese Embassy in Manila and will update this story once a response is received. Bajo de Masinloc is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, and is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual shipborne commerce, including areas claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. The Philippines has referred to parts of the South China Sea within its maritime jurisdiction as the West Philippine Sea to reinforce its claims in the area. The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago, including the Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in its case against China, saying Beijing’s claims to historic rights over areas within the Philippines’ EEZ had “no legal basis.” China has refused to recognize the ruling.— MCG, GMA News