China has “unjustifiably deployed” flares from Zamora Reef while a Philippine aircraft was on patrol to monitor and intercept poachers encroaching on the country’s waters on Aug. 22, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) confirmed Saturday.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Cessna 208B Grand Caravan was conducting a maritime domain awareness flight within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the territorial seas of the Kalayaan Island Group features when China fired the flares.
“We firmly reiterate our call on the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to immediately cease all provocative and dangerous actions that threaten the safety of Philippine vessels and aircraft engaged in legitimate and regular activities within Philippine territory and EEZ and the right of all vessels and aircraft exercising freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea,” the NTF-WPS said in a statement.
“Such actions undermine regional peace and security, and further erode the image of the PRC with the international community.”
Zamora Reef, also known as Subi Reef, is a feature in the West Philippine Sea that China reclaimed and militarized.
The atoll, situated within the territorial sea of Pag-asa Island, has been declared as a low-tide elevation by the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, which means it does not generate a territorial sea or an EEZ of its own.
The NTF-WPS said the BFAR plane was the same aircraft that the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) harassed while on a similar patrol flight near Bajo de Masinloc on Aug. 19.
The PLAAF fighter jet 63270 at that time engaged in "irresponsible and dangerous maneuvers" and deployed flares multiple times at a dangerously close distance of approximately 15 meters from the Philippine aircraft.
“The Chinese fighter jet was in no way provoked, yet its actions demonstrated hazardous intent that jeopardized the safety of the personnel on board the BFAR aircraft,” the NTF-WPS said.
Meanwhile, the task force said the Philippine government would continue conducting maritime domain awareness activities within its sovereign territory, national airspace, and EEZ, as well as on the high seas, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award. (PNA)
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