China says it drove away Philippine aircraft, vessels near disputed South China Sea shoals

China said on Friday that it had repelled a Philippine aircraft and several vessels near contested atolls in the South China Sea, marking the latest in a string of confrontations in the strategically vital region.

According to the Chinese military, a Philippine aircraft “invaded” the airspace over Scarborough Shoal and was met with stern warnings before being “driven away.” The statement did not specify when the encounter occurred.

Beijing asserts sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, a claim that overlaps with the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Territorial disputes in the area have persisted for years, with rival claims over numerous islands and maritime features.

In a separate announcement, the Chinese Coast Guard accused multiple Philippine vessels of entering waters near Sabina Shoal with the intent to “stir up trouble and provoke incidents.”

The coast guard said it responded with “control measures,” including issuing verbal warnings and forcing the vessels to leave the area.

The Philippine Embassy in Beijing, as well as the country’s foreign ministry and maritime agencies, did not immediately offer comment on the incident.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled ‌that China’s sweeping claims in the region were not supported by international law, a decision that Beijing rejects.

Scarborough Shoal is one of Asia’s most contested maritime features and a flashpoint for diplomatic flare-ups over sovereignty ⁠and fishing rights.

China ⁠in September approved the creation of a national nature reserve at the disputed atoll, drawing a strong reaction from Manila.

Sabina ​Shoal, which ‌China refers to as Xianbin Reef and the Philippines as the Escoda Shoal, ‍lies 150 km (93 miles) west of the Philippine province ‌of Palawan, well within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

With inputs from agencies