China force three Filipino planes out of its airspace

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Chinese armed forces recently ousted three Filipino aircraft from the airspace near the Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands) in the South China Sea, which China claims as its own. This statement was made on Friday by Tian Junli, the official spokesperson of the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Azernews reports.

On February 20th, two Philippine C-208 aircraft and one N-22 aircraft entered the airspace near China's Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands) without permission, according to Tian. The PLA Southern Combat Command Zone took full control of the situation, issued a warning, and subsequently expelled the Philippine aircraft from the area.

Tian further emphasized that "the Philippines provokes incidents and then attempts to whitewash its actions by advancing illegal claims. We strongly warn the Philippines that these clumsy tactics will ultimately fail."

The South China Sea is a contentious region, with overlapping territorial claims from several countries, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. The Nansha (Spratly) Islands are particularly contested due to their strategic location, potential underwater resource deposits, and importance for shipping routes. Tensions over the area have led to frequent military confrontations and diplomatic disputes between China and other claimants, particularly the Philippines. This recent incident further highlights the ongoing disputes and the importance of maintaining stability in the region.