An aerial drone photo taken on May 2, 2026 shows reefs in the territorial waters of China's Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

According to sources, on Thursday, a Philippine military vessel launched a ship-borne helicopter in the waters adjacent to the territorial sea of China' s Huangyan Dao. The helicopter illegally intruded into the territorial airspace over Huangyan Dao. The naval and air forces dispatched by the Chinese PLA Southern Theater Command tracked, monitored and verified the aircraft throughout the course, issuing warnings to expel it in accordance with the law.

Global Times