China expels Philippine aircraft over South China Sea

China's military announced on Friday that it had issued warnings and expelled two Philippine C-208 aircraft and an N-22 aircraft that had entered the airspace over a South China Sea island on Thursday.

Tian Junli, spokesman for the People's Liberation Army's Southern Theater Command, said in a release that recently, the Philippines had disregarded facts and repeatedly smeared and vilified China's legitimate actions to safeguard its rights.

According to Tian, on Tuesday, a Philippine C-208 aircraft illegally intruded into China's airspace over Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, altering its altitude multiple times. In just 218 seconds, it descended 920 meters in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, deliberately crossing into the normal patrol helicopter altitude, posing a high risk of maritime and aerial incidents.

"The Philippines then turned around and accused China of 'dangerous behavior'. The Philippines provoked trouble first and distorted the truth later, attempting to peddle its illegal claims," he said.

"Such clumsy tricks would be futile," Tian warned the Philippines, adding that the troops in the theater maintain a high state of readiness to resolutely defend national sovereignty, security, and the peace and stability of the South China Sea region.