Philippines, China trade accusations over South China Sea
The Philippines and China traded accusations on Saturday following an encounter between their aircraft over a contested area of the South China Sea.
The Philippine military strongly condemned "dangerous and provocative actions" by China's air force, while the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) said it acted in a professional and legal manner.
It is the first time the Philippines has complained of dangerous actions by Chinese aircraft, as opposed to navy or coast guard vessels, since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office in 2022.