Philippines worries about Chinese radio warnings



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Philippines worries Chinese radio warnings

(Associated Press) – August 1, 2018 – 12:00
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has expressed its concern to China over an increasing number of Chinese radio messages warning Philippine planes and ships to stay away from newly fortified islands and other sea territories from South China claimed by both countries A report from the Philippine government as seen by the Associated Press showed that in the second half of last year, Philippine military planes received at least 46 Chinese radio warnings while They patrolled the artificial islands built by China in the Spratlys in the South China Sea.

The Chinese radio messages were "intended to intensify their tactics for our pilots performing maritime aerial surveillance in the western Philippine Sea," the report says, using the Filipino name of the South China Sea.

their concern twice about radio transmissions, including at a meeting with their Chinese counterparts in Manila earlier this year that focus According to two officials who spoke under cover of anonymity because they were not allowed to publicly discuss the issue, a new problem appeared after China turned seven disputed reefs into islands with dredged sand in the Spratlys, where the new islands are now close to the islands occupied by Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan

Malaysia and Brunei are the other contenders to the chain of islands and islets and barren atolls. 19659004] The messages used to come from Chinese coastguard ships in recent years, but military authorities suspect that transmissions are also sent from artificial islands of Beijing, where much more powerful communication and surveillance equipment has been installed. "Our planes and planes have observed an increase in radio queries that seem to be coming from new" Commander Clay Doss, US 7th Fleet Public Affairs Officer, responded to the AP by email in response to questions about Chinese messages. "

" These communications do not affect our operations "Although the United States does not claim the strategic waterway, its navy has deployed ships and aircraft in operations Promoting freedom of navigation and overflight, but China protests foreign interference in an Asian dispute

Navy ships and aircraft communicate regularly with regional navies, including the Chinese navy. [19659003] "The vast majority of these communications are professional and, where this is not the case, these issues are dealt with through the appropriate diplomatic and military channels. s "

A Philippine Air Force (PAF) aircraft patrolling near the Chinese islands received a particularly offensive radio message at the end of January when Chinese forces warned it According to the Philippine government's report, "endanger the safety of the Chinese reef"

"go away immediately and go off to avoid misunderstandings," added the warning

shortly thereafter. Filipino military planes, I warn you again, will leave immediately or you will pay the possible consequences. "

The Philippine pilot has" sighted two reef warning signals, "said the report, which identifies the island occupied by the Chinese as Gaven Reef.

The makers of the Chinese Embbady did not respond to requests for comment, but Beijing officials repeatedly baderted that they had the right to build what they said was their territory and defend their sovereignty At all costs Lieutenant-General Galileo Gerard Rio Kintanar Jr. said the Philippine pilots calmly respond to messages from Chinese radio and continue their mission as planned, adding that the greater number of He believes that the army Philippines pledges to protect the territorial interests of the country by intensifying patrols.

"They do so because of their claims in this region and we have a standard answer and continue what we are doing", Dec. In April of last year, Chinese forces attempted by radio to hunt two Philippine military planes carrying the country's military and defense leaders, as well as other senior security officials and about 40 journalists, at Thitu Island, Philippines. Pag-asa.

Thitu is more than 22 kilometers from Subi Reef, formerly a coral outcrop that now looks like a small Chinese town with a track and a visible horizon line from the island to the Philippines when its lights shine at night.

China warned Philippine planes that they were going astray on its territory and that they should turn around to avoid any mishap. The plane responded by saying that they were flying over the Philippine territory.

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