US scores 'provocative' Chinese flare in Scarborough, Zamora

MANILA – The United States on Saturday joined the Philippines in urging China to cease its "provocative and dangerous actions" in the West Philippine Sea following its two separate flare deployments while a Philippine aircraft was on a patrol near Scarborough Shoal and Zamora Reef.

"The US stands firmly with the Philippines in condemning the PRC (People's Republic of China) for launching flares at (a Philippine) aircraft operating legally near Scarborough and Subi Reefs (on) Aug 19 & 22," US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said in a post on X.

"With the (Philippines), we call on the PRC to cease provocative and dangerous actions that undermine a free and open Indo-Pacific," she added.

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea confirmed on Saturday that China launched flares from its militarized reclaimed island in Zamora Reef while the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Cessna 208B Grand Caravan was conducting a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight on Aug. 22.

The patrol, it said, was legitimate and conducted over the country's exclusive economic zone and the territorial seas of the maritime features constituting the Kalayaan Island Group.

The task force said the same aircraft was harassed by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) during a similar MDA flight near Scarborough Shoal on Aug. 19.

The PLAAF Chinese fighter Jet 63270 engaged in "irresponsible and dangerous maneuvers" and deployed flares "multiple times at a dangerously close distance of approximately 15 meters" from the BFAR plane, the task force said. (PNA)