The Philippines government said on Wednesday (August 13) that a People’s Liberation Army Air Force J-15 fighter jet conducted a “dangerous interception” of a Philippine Coast Guard patrol plane carrying journalists over the skies of Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, coming as close as just about 60 meters. Earlier this week, two Chinese vessels attempted to block a Filipino supply mission in the area and collided.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Western Philippine Sea spokesperson Jay Tarriela stated at a press conference that the J-15 fighter jet had been tailing and circling near the Filipino small Cessna Caravan prop plane for up to 20 minutes, with the closest distance being only 200 feet (about 60 meters), posing a serious threat to aviation safety.
A Reuters correspondent on board witnessed the entire incident and heard radio warnings from two Chinese naval vessels below, demanding the Philippine aircraft to “immediately leave.”
Tarriela mentioned that the Filipino patrol plane received five radio warnings from the Chinese navy vessel 553 (Shaoguan ship) during the flight, commanding an immediate departure from the airspace; another Chinese navy vessel 568 (Hengyang ship) was tracking two American warships nearby.
The patrol mission aimed to monitor and ensure the safety of Filipino fishermen in the waters around Huangyan Island (referred to by the Philippines as “Bajo de Masinloc”). During the patrol, the Philippines also observed at least four Chinese Coast Guard ships and multiple “maritime militia” vessels operating in the area.
On the same day, the Philippine Coast Guard spotted two U.S. warships – the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) and littoral combat ship USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) – about 30 nautical miles from Huangyan Island. Tarriela noted that the two U.S. ships were exercising freedom of navigation under international law, challenging China’s restrictions on innocent passage.
The Southern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army claimed that the USS Higgins entered the area without Chinese “approval” and had been expelled. The U.S. Seventh Fleet responded, calling China’s claims “false” and emphasizing that their actions were lawful “freedom of navigation operations” (FONOP).
Huangyan Island is located 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the Philippines, within the country’s exclusive economic zone, boasting rich fishing grounds and a lagoon that provides shelter during storms. Since 2012, China has effectively controlled the island, regularly deploying Coast Guard ships and “maritime militia.” In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China’s “nine-dash line” claim was invalid and that its blockade of Huangyan Island violated international law, but China has refused to accept the ruling.
Earlier this week on Monday (August 11), Philippine Coast Guard vessels delivered supplies to dozens of Filipino fishermen in the waters near Huangyan Island. During the mission, a Chinese navy ship and a Coast Guard vessel conducted a “dangerous interception” of the Filipino boats, resulting in a violent collision between the two Chinese vessels, causing the Chinese Coast Guard ship to lose “seaworthiness.” The Philippines offered medical and rescue assistance, but China did not respond.