DAVAO CITY (June 13) — The Chinese government followed the Philippine protocol when their Chinese military aircraft landed at the Davao International Airport.
This was the clarification of Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua on Tuesday, saying “Well it’s your protocols we have followed. Now we have applied through your agencies, through your military’s , DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) for the landing,”
Zhao, in a chance interview during the Independence Day Celebration in Kawit, Cavite, emphasized that the landing was for a “very simple” reason, “for refueling” because the plane was en route to New Zealand for a bilateral military exercise.
The aircraft was identified as an Ilyushin IL-76, a strategic airlifter first used by the Soviet Union in the early 1970s.
The Chinese military aircraft landed at the airport Friday and many speculated it didn’t follow the protocol and it was a backdoor visit.
The country’s law does not allow any foreign aircraft to land in the Philippine soil without following protocols and procedures.
Zhao stressed “If you do not allow the Chinese there to land or fly over your airspace, we are not there to do that because you might shoot them down.”
Though he said, he was puzzled and surprised by the reactions of some sectors and lawmakers to include Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.
Lacson earlier said that if the government allowed Chinese military plane to land in the country, it was acting like a province of China rather than an independent and sovereign state.
“I’m really puzzled and even surprised that some of the people here [are] taking the landing of Chinese military jets as a kind of military threat to the Philippines,” Zhao said
There were speculations that Chinese military plane landed in Davao as a start of their invasion.
Zhao “Please allow me to be blunt, it’s nonsense.” He added “We have never thought of going to war with our good neighbor, our good friend that is the Philippines.”
Filipinos have been very observant in watching China as the issue over West Philippine Sea is yet to be resolved and their facilities remain in the Philippine island.-Editha Z. Caduaya/NewsLine.ph with report fro PNA
