The Chinese Navy’s latest act of aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has been described as its “most dangerous” maneuver to date, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on February 19.

A People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Harbin Z-9 helicopter, with tail number 68, flew dangerously close, within three meters, of a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft conducting a routine maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight over Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) on morning of February 18.

According to the PCG, “this reckless action posed a serious risk to the safety of the pilots and passengers during the MDA flight”.

PCG’s spokesperson for the WPS, Commodore Jay Tarriela, revealed that the BFAR Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX, carrying PCG personnel and photojournalists, had been operating within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ) when the Chinese military helicopter executed its reckless maneuver.

“It’s common sense that a proximity like this is outright very dangerous and endangers the passengers of our aircraft,” Tarriela said in a press conference in Manila on February 19.

“So, I think this is the most dangerous since they did this while our personnel and friends from the media are actually on board the BFAR aircraft. And in terms of the level of dangerous act they did, this is the most dangerous for me,” he added.

The PLA Navy helicopter tailed the Philippine aircraft for 40 minutes before moving within three meters of its port side. A few minutes later, it hovered at a distance of 10 meters.

The Chinese aircraft then issued a radio challenge, demanding that the Philippine plane leave the area immediately. However, the Filipino pilots maintained their altitude of 213 meters (700 feet) and responded with their own radio challenge, asserting their right to operate within Philippine airspace.

Tarriela emphasized that China’s actions disregarded the International Civil Aviation Organization’s flight safety regulations.

Despite the “aggressive and escalatory actions” from China, the PCG and BFAR reaffirmed their commitment to defending the country’s sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction.

Manila to file diplomatic protest over “grave incident”

The National Maritime Council (NMC) condemned the incident, saying it was “deeply disturbed” by China’s reckless flight maneuver that endangered the lives of pilots and journalists aboard the BFAR aircraft.

The council stressed that China’s maneuver was a blatant violation of aviation safety norms.

“This blatantly hazardous action endangered the safety of the pilots and passengers onboard. It demonstrated a lack of regard for internationally accepted norms on good airmanship and flight safety,” the NMC said in a statement.

“China’s illegal, coercive, and aggressive behavior will not deter the Philippines from continuing the conduct of its routine maritime operations in accordance with its sovereignty over the shoal,” the NMC emphasized.

The council reiterated that the country has “undeniable sovereignty and jurisdiction over Bajo de Masinloc” and vowed to continue safeguarding its maritime interests under Republic Act No. 12064 (the Philippine Maritime Zones Act), the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling.

The NMC also called on Beijing to respect international law and engage in responsible state behavior.

“We urge China to respect international law, engage in responsible state behavior, pursue peaceful settlement of disputes, and refrain from actions that undermine regional peace and stability,” it said.

The NMC said the Philippines will file a formal diplomatic protest against China over the “grave incident.”

China defends “expulsion” of Philippine aircraft

Beijing, however, placed the blame on Manila, claiming that the BFAR aircraft “illegally trespassed” in what China calls “Huangyan Island” airspace.

“The PLA Southern Theater Command (STC) organized naval and air forces and tracked, monitored, warned, and expelled it in accordance with laws and regulations,” PLA STC spokesperson Tian Junli said in a statement.

He accused the Philippines of attempting to “pursue its illegal sovereignty claim with military provocations” and of “hyping up” the incident to mislead international perception.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, despite the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its claims and reaffirmed the Philippines’ EEZ in the region.

In recent years, Philippine and Chinese coast guard ships have repeatedly collided amid escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea, resulting in injuries to personnel and damage to vessels.

U.S. condemns China’s “dangerous maneuvers”

The United States joined the Philippines in condemning China’s actions.

In a statement on X, U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson called on China to refrain from coercive actions.

“We condemn the dangerous maneuvers by a PLA Navy helicopter that endangered pilots and passengers on a Philippine air mission. We call on China to refrain from coercive actions and settle its disputes peacefully in accordance with international law,” she said on February 19.

The Philippine government is expected to issue a formal diplomatic protest over the incident, adding to the growing international pressure on China over its aggressive tactics in the region.

Photo credit: Philippine Coast Guard. A Chinese military helicopter with tail number 68 flew above a Philippine fisheries patrol plane over Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough) Shoal on February 18, 2025.