A Chinese military helicopter flew within 10 feet (3 meters) of a Philippine patrol plane over the South China Sea on Tuesday, in what observers said was the second incident of potentially catastrophic behavior by the People’s Liberation Army against foreign aircraft in a week.

The US condemned a Chinese Navy chopper’s dangerous moves near Scarborough Shoal, stressing that the 1951 US-PH defense treaty covers attacks in the South China Sea.

Manila's coast guard said the Chinese navy helicopter performed dangerous flight maneuvers when it flew close to a government aircraft conducting surveillance over the Scarborough Shoal

A Risky Confrontation in the Sky Tensions escalated once again over the contested Scarborough Shoal as the Chinese military expelled a Philippine aircraft from its airspace. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) reported that a C-208 light utility aircraft,