Beijing confirms strategic bombers circled Taiwan in 2018 night mission

For first time, PLA affirms H-6K heavy bombers were used in operation five years ago – an admission that comes amid worsening cross-strait ties

‘We cruised around the island,’ says officer in charge of flight group in new CCTV propaganda video

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A new CCTV propaganda video features Beijing’s H-6K bomber, shown here flying over the South China Sea. Photo : eng.chinamil.com.cn / Handout

Published: 8:00pm, 21 Jun 2023Updated: 4:23pm, 22 Jun 2023

Mainland China confirmed for the first time that it sent H-6K bombers on a night mission to circle around Taiwan in 2018 – an admission that comes amid worsening cross-strait ties and intensifying People’s Liberation Army (PLA) operations targeting the island.

“In recent years, we flew beyond the first island chain and towards the West Pacific,” said Lieutenant Colonel Zhang Bin, who leads the Second Flight Group of a PLA Air Force unit code-named Unit 95183.

“We patrolled over the South China Sea and faced treacherous environments. We cruised around the island of Taiwan at night,” he said in a propaganda video titled Flying for Victory released by state broadcaster CCTV on Monday.

Taiwan’s air force command headquarters said in 2018 that the PLA had, for the first time, sent H-6K heavy bombers to encircle the self-ruled island at night.

At the time, the mainland’s defence ministry acknowledged an operation had taken place but did not directly confirm the plane model used or that it happened at night.

Since last August, when then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, Beijing has sent more warplanes and ships near Taiwan, which it considers a breakaway province to be put under its control, by force if necessary.