Aerial shots of Taiwan’s key Hualien airbase spark concern after appearing on social media

Footage that appeared on the mainland Chinese platform RedNote came with a detailed analysis of the base’s facilities and squadrons

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A file photo of Taiwanese air force personnel during an exercise at the Hualien Air Base, which has been the subject of a short video uploaded recently to mainland Chinese social media. Photo: EPA

Published: 8:16pm, 28 May 2025

Aerial shots and detailed analysis of a key Taiwanese military base on mainland Chinese social media have sparked security concerns on the self-ruled island, where officials are seeking to reassure the public.

The images of Hualien Air Base were part of a video lasting less than seven minutes that emerged last week on RedNote, or Xiaohongshu, the mainland-based lifestyle platform that is also popular in Taiwan, especially among young users.

The video was uploaded by a military blogger from an IP address in Beijing on May 21 – one day after Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te made a speech to mark his first year in office. It was widely reposted and shared on other platforms, including WeChat and YouTube.

While the original link on RedNote disappeared, the reposted video was still available on the other platforms.

The video included close-ups of the base’s 2,851 metre (9,353 feet) runway, with details of operating procedures, as well as its 46 hardened aircraft shelters, along with their size measurements.

It also gave deployment details of the three squadrons stationed in the airbase, the locations of its F-16V and F-5E fighters, as well as the base’s sports facilities and even hotel buildings.

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