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China says Philippine aircraft ‘intrude into’ airspace over Scarborough Shoal

By Thomson Reuters Aug 21, 2026 | 3:44 AM

BEIJING, Aug 21 (Reuters) – China’s military on Friday said ​it tracked ‌and warned three small Philippine aircraft that “illegally intruded into” airspace ‌over ​the Scarborough ⁠Shoal, a contested ⁠feature in the South China Sea, without Beijing’s approval.

“The ​acts of the Philippine side ⁠seriously violate ⁠China’s sovereignty, ​and are highly likely ​to cause misunderstanding and ‌miscalculation. We sternly warn the Philippine side to ⁠stop rights-violation and provocative acts immediately,” the military ⁠said ‌in a ⁠statement.

The Philippine ​embassy ‌in Beijing did ​not immediately ⁠respond to a Reuters request for comment.

(Reporting by Beijing Newsroom;Editing by Alison ​Williams)