ISLAMABAD: As a Philippine Coast Guard plane carrying media persons flew over the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea, a Chinese voice issued a harsh command over the radio, saying, leave immediately.
The stern order came from a radio operator on a ship of the Chinese coast guard 3,500 feet below — one of many ships seen prowling the waters.
China claims sovereignty over almost the whole South China Sea, including the Spratlys, boldly ignoring an international ruling that its sovereignty claims have no legal basis.
In the previous decade, it has occupied thousands of hectares of reef in the archipelago to create militarized islands with ports, runways, and radar systems.
Chinese vessels patrolling waters
To assert its claims, hundreds of Chinese maritime militia vessels and coast guard patrol the waters. The Filipino pilot responded to the Chinese command that they were flying within Philippine territory.
During the 4-hour flight in the Cessna Caravan, Philippine Coast Guard officers identified about 20 Chinese vessels, including suspected maritime militia boats, in waters around some of the 9 reefs and islands occupied by the Philippines.
Seventeen Chinese maritime militia vessels were also spotted by the Philippine coast guard close to Sabina Shoal, which is claimed by Manila. 15 Chinese maritime militia vessels were seen in the vicinity of Thitu, the largest Philippine-occupied Island which lies nearly 430 kilometers from the major Philippine Island of Palawan.
