In mid-May, China deployed two H-6 long-range strategic bombers to Yongxing Island, a disputed island in the South China Sea — marking the first such deployment since 2020. According to Reuters, satellite imagery suggests the move comes at a particularly sensitive time amid rising tensions between China and the Philippines, increasing Chinese military activity near the Taiwan Strait, and the upcoming Shangri-La Dialogue this weekend. Observers interpret the deployment as carrying clear political and military signals.
The Reuters report cites satellite photos taken by Maxar Technologies, showing two H-6 bombers parked on the airstrip at Yongxing Island on May 19. The same imagery also shows two Y-20 large transport aircraft and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. Analysts believe these aircraft were likely deployed from May 17 and remained until May 23.
Collin Koh, a defense scholar at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, stated that China’s long-range bombers do not need to be based in the Paracel Islands, suggesting that this is Beijing sending a broad signal to the Philippines, the United States, and other stakeholders.
According to the report, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to deliver a speech on May 31 at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, outlining the Trump administration’s policy stance toward the Asia-Pacific region. Meanwhile, a British aircraft carrier is also expected to conduct a rare deployment to the South China Sea in June, further heightening regional tensions.
Public information shows that the H-6 bomber is based on a Soviet design from the 1950s and has been modernized into China’s most advanced long-range strike platform. It is capable of launching both anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles, with certain variants capable of carrying nuclear warhead-equipped ballistic missiles.
Ben Lewis, founder of the open-source intelligence platform PLATracker, believes that the H-6 is unlikely to be stationed permanently at Yongxing Island. The ability to rotate and redeploy high-end assets like the H-6 between bases gives the PLA a mechanism for demonstrating military readiness and deterrence.
Additionally, data from the UK-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) indicates that the PLA Southern Theater Command, which oversees operations in the South China Sea, has two bomber regiments. These bomber units are typically based at heavily fortified airfields to reduce vulnerability to U.S. strikes in the event of conflict.