Upgrades for Chinese military airbases facing Taiwan hint at war plans

Satellite images show work began last year to expand and reinforce three PLA air force bases in Fujian province

The improvements will give air combat support but also strengthen defences against potential strike from Taiwanese forces

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Air defence sites, runways, aprons and bunkers have been expanded and upgraded at the Chinese military’s Longtian airbase in Fujian province. Source: Planet Labs

Published: 12:00pm, 15 Oct 2021Updated: 11:55pm, 15 Oct 2021

Satellite images have revealed China is upgrading and reinforcing its airbases closest to Taiwan along its southeastern coast, indicating Beijing may be stepping up its plans to take the island by force.

The upgraded infrastructure at three airbases in Fujian province will give long-term logistical air combat support to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, which mounted a record 149 sorties into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone over four consecutive days from October 1.

The images, captured by Planet Labs and first published by American tech and military site The Drive, showed work on aircraft shelters and reinforced munitions storage started early last year and continued uninterrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The three PLA airbases and their distance from the island of Taiwan.

At Longtian airbase, work has included expansions and upgrades for air defence sites, the runway, apron and bunkers, according to an image taken on October 2 which showed four hardened hangars under construction, all connected directly to the runway for quick dispersal.

Similar construction work was also spotted at the nearby Huian base, 300km (186 miles) from Taiwan’s massive underground Chiashan airbase in Hualien. The designs of the air defence sites, bombproof aircraft shelters and hangars are different from the ones at Longtian.