Chinese fighter jets ‘orbit’ Philippines aircraft during patrol over contested waters

Chinese fighter jets “orbited” a Philippine aircraft during a joint patrol between the Philippines and Australia over contested waters in the South China Sea on Sunday 26 November.

Footage captured by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) shows what was reported to be Chinese jets allegedly circling the Philippines’ Super Tucanos aircraft during a drill over Hubo Reef.

“The circling happened for about 15 minutes and our aircraft were able to finish their mission. They finished the maritime air patrol in the area of the West Philippine Sea without any untoward incident,” AFP chief general Romeo Brawner Jr said.

Beijing currently claims almost the entire South China Sea, one of the world’s busiest sea lanes.

But a United Nations-backed tribunal in 2016 deemed its claims groundless.