Tensions in the South China Sea escalated further when a Chinese fighter jet intercepted a Philippine aircraft carrying journalists during a patrol flight over the disputed Scarborough Shoal. The encounter occurred just two days after two Chinese vessels collided in the same area while allegedly attempting to block a Philippine supply mission.

According to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the small Cessna Caravan turboprop was shadowed for 20 minutes by the Chinese jet, which at one point closed to within about 200 feet (61 meters). Witnesses reported the fighter maneuvering behind, above, and alongside the Philippine plane, while two Chinese navy ships were spotted in the waters below.

From the cockpit, journalists and crew heard repeated radio transmissions from one of the Chinese warships ordering the Philippine aircraft to “leave immediately.” The PCG described the encounter as dangerously close and said it highlighted the growing risks to civilian and military flights in the region.

The incident follows a collision earlier in the week when the Chinese Coast Guard smashed into a Chinese military ship during a face-off with the Philippine Coast Guard. These back-to-back confrontations underscore the volatility surrounding Scarborough Shoal, a flashpoint in the ongoing maritime dispute between Manila and Beijing.