Chinese bombers in strike exercises after US escalation in South China Sea

Advanced H-6J among at least 10 planes involved in drills which followed February dual carrier operation in disputed waterway

On Wednesday a US destroyer crossed the Taiwan Strait in a further escalation of tensions

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Some of the personnel taking part in the PLA Southern Theatre Command’s bomber exercises in the South China Sea after the Lunar New Year. Photo: CCTV

Teddy Ng

Published: 2:56pm, 25 Feb 2021Updated: 7:27pm, 25 Feb 2021

Corrected [6:50pm, 25 Feb, 2021]

[6:50pm, 25 Feb, 2021]
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the French naval ships had completed two transits in the South China Sea.

At least 10 Chinese bombers took part in maritime strike exercises in the South China Sea, immediately after an escalation of US military presence in the disputed waterway.

Military experts said the exercises – which involved the Chinese navy’s most advanced H-6J bomber – aimed to show China’s capability of countering recent US activities, which included dual carrier operations in February.

One day after state broadcaster CCTV revealed details of the PLA exercises, a US destroyer transited the Taiwan Strait, further ratcheting up tensions in the region.

CCTV on Tuesday said more than 10 bombers, of two types, from the PLA’s Southern Theatre Command took part in the drill after the Lunar New Year holiday, which ended on February 17. These were later identified by the nationalist tabloid Global Times as the H-6J, which can carry up to six anti-ship cruise missiles, and the older, four-missile H-6G.

The drills featured long-distance attack exercises and boosted coordination between new and veteran pilots, the CCTV report said. In a follow-up report on Wednesday, CCTV said a naval aviation brigade from Southern Theatre Command had practised air confrontation tactic drills to sharpen real-combat capability.

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