Chinese security vessel orders Philippine plane carrying media to 'leave'

Vessels identified by the Philippine Coast Guard as Chinese maritime militia vessels seen near Thitu Island in the South China Sea. - AFP

OVER THE SPRATLY ISLANDS, Philippines 2023 (AFP): As a Philippine Coast Guard plane carrying journalists flew over the Spratly Islands in the hotly disputed South China Sea, a Chinese voice issued a stern command over the radio: "Leave immediately."

The order came from a radio operator on a Chinese coast guard vessel 1,066m (3,500 feet) below -- one of dozens of ships seen prowling the waters.