Philippines to file protest with China over South China Sea air incident

MANILA (Reuters) -- The Philippines will file a diplomatic protest with China over a recent incident involving Air Force planes in airspace over a South China Sea shoal, Manila's Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said on Monday.

The Southeast Asian nation will continue maritime patrols in the South China Sea despite the "dangerous and provocative" actions of China's Air Force last week, military chief Romeo Brawner told reporters. The Philippines' military has complained of dangerous actions by two Chinese aircraft that dropped flares in the path of a Philippine Air Force aircraft conducting a routine patrol over the Scarborough Shoal on Aug. 8.

Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said he hoped China would comply with international law and on the need to de-escalate tensions.

On Sunday, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos called China's actions "unjustified, illegal and reckless."

China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Saturday, the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army said the Philippine aircraft had illegally intruded despite repeated warnings.