The Australian freedom of navigation operation is revealed in the wake of renewed tension between China and the US over the latter's deployment of its most advanced surveillance aircraft to the region
SPRATLY ISLANDS. An aerial photo taken though a glass window inside a military plane of China's reclamation activities on Mischief Reef as of May 2015. Photo by Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA
An Australian
aircraft flew near one of China 's
artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea
to exercise "international freedom of navigation rights," according
to a BBC report
that aired Monday night, December 14.
The Australian
freedom of navigation operation is revealed in the wake of renewed tension between China
and the US
over the latter's deployment of its most advanced
surveillance aircraft to the region.
The BBC, which
idenfitied the plane as a military aircraft, captured the Australian aircraft
radio message: "China Navy, China Navy....We are an Australian aircraft
exercising international freedom of navigation rights, in international
airspace in accordance with the international civil aviation convention, and the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea – over."
BBC reporter
Rupert Wingfield-Hayes flew around the South China Sea with the permission of
the Philippine government, which calls the area the West
Philippine Sea .
Onboard a small
aircraft – a single-engine Cessna 206 – he captured the newest known footage of
the expanse of China 's
sweeping claims over the seas. (READ: BBC: Flying
close to Beijing's new South China Sea islands)
The Cessna plane
was repeatedly harassed by Chinese Navy when it got near Gaven Reef, Fiery
Cross Reef, and Mischief Reef. The Filipino civilian pilots flew away from
Gaven and Fiery Cross reefs when they heard the Chinese warnings, but defied
them when they were near Mischief Reef.
The Filipino
pilots replied: "Chinese Navy, this is Philippine civilian aircraft en
route to Palawan , carrying civilian
passengers. We are not a military aircraft; we are a civilian single-engine
aircraft."
Mischief Reef is
within the 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines
under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The two
other reefs are located outside the country's EEZ.
The BBC noted the
"clear view of the new runway" on Mischief Reef, one of 3 China is
believed to be building in the disputed seas. The others are being built on
Fiery Cross Reef and Subi Reef.
Former military
chief General Gregorio Catapang previously warned that China 's reclamation of Mischief Reef could cut the Philippine military's access to some areas in the South China Sea .
http://www.rappler.com/world/regions/asia-pacific/116005-australia-flight-south-philippine-sea
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