AFP up to China’s challenge after latest Scarborough incident

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said it is “up to the challenge” of the Chinese military after its air force conducted a dangerous action against a Filipino aircraft in the skies above Scarborough Shoal.

In a press conference, Philippine Navy spokesperson for West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad was asked how the AFP sees China’s sincerity in bilateral consultation mechanism talks after the incident considering the two countries already agreed to de-escalate tensions in the WPS.

“The bilateral consultative meeting was merely for WPS focusing on Ayungin Shoal and BRP Sierra Madre. For Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), it’s a different situation,” Trinidad said.

“Overall these actions are still illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive, and again they will not deter the AFP from performing its mandate. Your AFP is up to the challenge of the (People’s Liberation Army)  Navy, the PLA Air Force, or the PLA itself,” he added.

Asked if the country has assets that can keep up with the actions of China’s air force, Philippine Air Force (PAF) public affairs office acting chief Colonel Rifiel Santiago Sotto said they have FA-50 Golden Eagle fighter aircraft.

“Right now, almost everybody knows that we have FA-50s on our inventory. But the procurement process and the modernization program of the Armed Forces is on the level of higher department,” Sotto said.

The PAF currently has 12 KAI FA-50s in its inventory. Purchased from South Korea, the single engine, twin-seater aircraft serve multiple roles such jet trainers, strike and air defense.

Trinidad noted that the Philippines does not want the situation to escalate but he pointed out that illegal, unsafe, and unprofessional actions increase the risk of an untoward incident.

“We have performed our mandate within the bounds of international law. We have our partners and allies. We are showing the world the transparency initiative,” Trinidad said.

“All the actions that the PLA is doing is only to increase the deterrence. We don't want to get to a situation that there would be downward spiral of escalation,” he added.

The AFP said that on August 8, two People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) fighter type aircraft performed "dangerous and provocative actions" against an unarmed PAF aircraft over the Scarborough Shoal.

One of the Chinese aircraft executed a dangerous maneuver and dropped flares in the path of the PAF NC-212i PAF propeller aircraft that was conducting a routine maritime patrol over the area.

China’s Southern Theater Command said the Philippine aircraft, "despite repeated warnings from China, insisted on illegally intruding into the airspace of Huangyan Island, disrupting training activities.”

According to the Chinese, their naval and air forces carried out identification, tracking, warning, and expulsion in accordance with the law.

"The on-site operation was professional, abided by norms, legitimate, and legal," the PLA said, urging the Philippines to stop what it called infringement and provocation.

Prior to this incident, the Southern Theater Command said on Wednesday it had "organized a joint combat patrol in the sea and air space" near the Scarborough Shoal.

The maneuvers tested "the reconnaissance and early warning, rapid mobility, and joint strike capabilities of theater troops," Beijing said.

The Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest against China after Beihing’s air force performed dangerous actions in Scarborough Shoal, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.

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.

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 and continues to claim territory that is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).—RF, GMA Integrated News