China Fires Flares at Philippine Aircraft Near Disputed South China Sea Reefs

The Philippines' coastguard reported that the Chinese military fired flares near a Philippine aircraft operating close to the Subi and Mischief Reefs in the South China Sea. The incident occurred on Monday, according to video footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday. The unarmed plane was on a maritime domain awareness flight over part of the disputed area. PCG spokesman Jay Tarriela stated on social media that the aircraft was not in Chinese airspace at the time of the incident. The flares were fired in an apparent attempt to intercept the plane, but the aircraft was able to continue its mission without incident. The incident marks a further escalation of tensions in the South China Sea, where several countries have competing claims to territorial sovereignty. The Philippines has accused China of harassment and intimidation in the region, with the latest incident being the latest in a series of confrontations between the two nations.