PH aircraft met with radio challenges by China warship at Bajo de Masinloc

Several China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and  People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships were monitored in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal during a recent maritime domain awareness flight of the the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), an activity met with radio challenges by Chinese forces.

"These included two China Coast Guard vessels—one bearing an unidentified bow number and positioned approximately 84.6 nautical miles west of Capones Island, while the other was located 7.8 nautical miles southeast of Bajo de Masinloc—as well as two People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships with hull numbers 553 and 909 near the Southeast of BDM," said PCG in a statement Tuesday.

"In addition, five vessels believed to be Chinese maritime militia were observed at distances ranging from 6.16 to 11.82 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc," the PCG added.

PCG said its Islander aircraft responded to the multiple radio challenges issued by the PLAN warship with hull number 553.

"The PCG aircrew responded professionally, asserting that the MDA flight was fully compliant with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 2016 Arbitral Award, and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act," said PCG. 

The PCG maintained that the conduct of the aerial patrol showed its resolve to protect Filipino fishermen, and highlights the illegal presence of Chinese maritime forces.

Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal or Panatag Shoal, is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales.

It is within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country's claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis." China has not recognized the decision. — VDV, GMA Integrated News