MANILA, Philippines – The U.S. State Department expressed its support to the Philippines as it condemned the “unsafe and irresponsible actions” by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) against a Philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Resources plane conducting routine overflight in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal last Tuesday, February 18.
In a statement released by the State Department, Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the PLAN’s actions interfered with a Philippine maritime air operation, when its helicopter came within three meters of a BFAR plane conducting a routine overflight, endangering the safety of the aircraft and its crew.
“This incident follows China’s separate unsafe and unprofessional maneuver on February 11 that endangered an Australian aircraft that was conducting a routine maritime patrol in the South China Sea,” the statement read.
“Reckless Chinese actions such as these are a threat to navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and we will continue to support our allies and partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Bruce stated.
“We call on China to refrain from coercive actions and settle its disputes peacefully in accordance with international law,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Manila called out the U.S. Ambassador’s message of support for the Philippines, saying the ambassador “disregarded the facts” and “distorted the truth.”
In a statement released via the media viber group, the Chinese Embassy said that the U.S. Ambassador’s statement “unjustly accused China of its lawful maritime rights protection activities while disseminating misleading narratives.”
“Any rhetoric or actions that embolden the Philippines to pursue its illegitimate territorial claims through provocations and staged incidents are bound to be in vain,” the Chinese Embassy said.
We condemn the dangerous maneuvers by a PLA Navy helicopter that endangered pilots and passengers on a Philippine air mission. We call on China to refrain from coercive actions and settle its disputes peacefully in accordance with international law. #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific
— Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson (@USAmbPH) February 19, 2025
On Wednesday, Ambassador MaryKay Carlson expressed her support for the Philippines, condemning the “dangerous maneuvers” by a PLA Navy helicopter against a BFAR aircraft.
“We condemn the dangerous maneuvers by a PLA Navy helicopter that endangered pilots and passengers on a Philippine air mission,” Carlson posted on X.
“We call on China to refrain from coercive actions and settle its disputes peacefully in accordance with international law,” she added.
