PAG-ASA, Philippines ¨C Approaching what is arguably the most internationally contested area in all of Asia, it didn¡¯t take long for the Philippine Air Force pilot to be reminded of the increasingly tense situation in the South China Sea¡¯s heavily militarized Spratly island chain.
Not one, not two, but 16 flares were launched from China¡¯s military base on Subi Reef in late August as he flew a maritime patrol past the man-made feature on his way to Pag-asa Island ¡ª population 400 ¡ª which sits on the front line of a simmering territorial dispute between Beijing and Manila.
¡°They fired flares and issued radio challenges,¡± the pilot said about the incident, which was also witnessed by a Japan Times reporter aboard the flight.
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