The title of this rewritten blog post is The Role of PCG Condemning Chinese Naval Aggression in South China Sea

Here is the rewritten blog post

The Role of PCG Condemning Chinese Naval Aggression in South China Sea

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has condemned recent aggressive maneuvers by a Chinese Navy helicopter, which flew as close as three meters to a surveillance flight carrying journalists over the contested Scarborough Shoal.

According to an eyewitness on board the flight, the helicopter tail-gated the plane before drawing near the left wing, with personnel aboard filming the scene. The coast guard stated that the helicopter was as close as three meters to the fisheries bureau aircraft, which was flying at 213 meters above the water to observe Chinese vessels in the area.

Dangerous Flight Maneuvers

In a statement, the PCG described the incident Around 0839 hours, a People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA-Navy) helicopter performed dangerous flight maneuvers towards the BFAR aircraft. This reckless action posed a serious risk to the safety of the pilots and passengers during the MDA flight.

Scarborough Shoal A Flashpoint in South China Sea Disputes

The Scarborough Shoal, a triangular chain of reefs and rocks, has been a flashpoint between the Philippines and China since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. This latest incident comes just weeks after Australia rebuked Beijing for unsafe military conduct, following an incident where a Chinese fighter released flares within 30 meters of a surveillance plane patrolling above the South China Sea.

International Ruling No Legal Basis for China's Claims

China claims the South China Sea in almost its entirety, despite an international ruling in 2016 concluding that this has no legal basis. The Scarborough Shoal, located approximately 240 kilometers west of the Philippines' main island of Luzon and nearly 900 kilometers from the nearest major Chinese land mass of Hainan, has been the site of repeated confrontations as Manila has resupplied Filipino fishermen in the area.

Recurring Confrontations between China and the Philippines

In December, the Philippines reported that the Chinese coast guard fired water cannon and sideswiped a government fisheries department vessel. Footage released by Manila appears to show a Chinese coast guard ship firing a torrent of water at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, with crew members shouting Collision! Collision! as the much larger Chinese vessel nears its right-hand side before crashing into it.

Strengthening Defense Cooperation between the Philippines and the US

In response to these incidents, Manila and treaty ally Washington have deepened their defense cooperation since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022. The Philippines has announced plans to acquire the US Typhon missile system as part of a push to secure its maritime interests.

Philippine Army Chief Will Protect Our Floating Assets

The midrange missile system, deployed earlier this year for annual joint military exercises, has a range of approximately 300 miles (480 kilometers), although a longer-range version is under development. Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido has emphasized that the Typhon platform will protect our floating assets, referring to ships of the Philippine navy, coast guard, and other vessels.

China's Warning Acquisition of Defense Systems Risks Triggering Arms Race

China has warned that acquiring defense systems like the Typhon missile system risks triggering an arms race.

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.