ISTANBUL

Mid-air tensions increased between China and the Philippines saw a surge as Beijing on Friday reported another incident over the disputed waters of the South China Sea. 

According to China’s Defense Ministry, the Southern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) issued warnings and expelled two Philippines C-208 aircraft and an N-22 aircraft that had “entered the airspace” over a South China Sea Island on Thursday.

Tian Junli, spokesman for the command said a Philippines C-208 aircraft “illegally intruded into China's airspace over Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, altering its altitude multiple times.”

Huangyan Island is also known as Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.

“In just 218 seconds, it descended 920 meters (3,018 feet) in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, deliberately crossing into the normal patrol helicopter altitude, posing a high risk of maritime and aerial incidents,” Tian said.

Manila was yet to react to claims made by Beijing over the latest incident.

“The Philippines then turned around and accused China of 'dangerous behavior'. The Philippines provoked trouble first and distorted the truth later, attempting to peddle its illegal claims,” he claimed.

This was the second incident between the two maritime neighbors over the disputed waters where China and the Philippines have competing claims.

The Philippines and China also made conflicting claims on Tuesday about a mid-air encounter over contested Scarborough Shoal.

Last week, Australia said a PLA J-16 fighter aircraft “released flares in close proximity” to Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft which was “conducting a routine maritime surveillance patrol” over the South China Sea on Tuesday.

The midair contact between rival aircraft was reported in airspace over Xisha Qundao, also known as Paracel Islands, according to China's Foreign Ministry, which rejected “false narratives” by Canberra.