We have another confirmation that the recent “agreement” between China and the Philippines to leave each other alone in the Philippine area of the South China Sea, which means that China must leave the Philippines alone, is no agreement at all.
Even as China (temporarily) abstains from ramming and hosing Philippine ships while continuing to misrepresent the terms of the “agreement,” the PRC has transferred its gray-zone tactics to the sky (Reuters, “Actions of China air force ‘reckless,’ ” August 12, 2024).
Manila and Beijing accused each other on Saturday of disrupting their militaries’ operations around the Scarborough Shoal in the first incident since Marcos took office in 2022 in which the Philippines has complained of dangerous actions by Chinese aircraft, as opposed to navy or coast guard vessels.
The Philippine military on Saturday condemned “dangerous and provocative actions” when two Chinese aircraft dropped flares in the path of a Philippine aircraft during a routine patrol around the shoal on Thursday.
The Chinese military’s Southern Theatre Command countered that the Philippines had disrupted its training, accusing Manila of “illegally intruding” into its airspace.
On Sunday, Marcos urged China to act responsibly both in the seas and in the skies.
Philippine President Marcos sees a high probability of dog fights in the sky if China’s belligerence “in the Philippines’ air and defense zones” continues.
It’s the Chinese government, not the Philippine government, which must fundamentally change its behavior if there is to be peace in the South China Sea. But although it may pretend to accept further “agreements,” China won’t be “acting responsibly” anytime soon.
