Chinese missile boat chase at Half Moon Shoal sparks new South China Sea flashpoint fears

Philippine officials called the missile boats’ presence at Half Moon Shoal illegal, as analysts warned it could be turned into an airbase

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Half Moon Shoal. The rectangular atoll measures around 5km across at its longest point. Analysts say it could support the construction of an airfield. Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP

Published: 12:00pm, 2 Oct 2024Updated: 12:00pm, 2 Oct 2024

A new flashpoint appears to be emerging in the South China Sea as reports surface of Chinese missile boats pursuing Philippine vessels and directing lasers at a patrolling aircraft near the contested Half Moon Shoal – raising alarms over Beijing’s expanding assertiveness in the disputed waters.

Strategically located about 60 nautical miles (111km) off Palawan Island, Half Moon Shoal could become another source of tensions, with analysts warning of its potential as a military airbase.

On Friday, a Cessna aircraft operated by the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources spotted a Chinese coastguard vessel and two Type 22 Houbei-class missile boats chasing two BFAR boats near the contested atoll – known as Hasa Hasa Shoal in the Philippines and Banyue Jiao in China.

The Philippine vessels, BRP Datu Romapenet and BRP Taradipit, were en route to deliver aid and supplies to local fishermen when they were shadowed by the Chinese missile boats.

Philippine authorities reported that one of the Chinese vessels aimed a high-intensity laser at the Cessna, an act described by National Maritime Council spokesman Alexander Lopez as a serious threat to the safety of the Filipino pilots.

“Lasers, when pointed directly at the eyes of a pilot, can cause temporary blindness, he said on Monday. “Safety is compromised when the vision of the pilot is impaired.”