China reinforces military presence in contested South China sea
China is employing a fait accompli strategy in the South China Sea, asserting control over additional regions claimed by several countries. Chinese military infrastructure, including airports, is being constructed on natural or artificially created islands in shallow waters. Strategic Chinese H-6 bombers have now been spotted at one of these locations on Woody Island.
Woody Island—the largest in the Paracel Islands archipelago (occupied by China in the 1970s)—serves as an example of China's expansion in the South China Sea. It is a disputed area with claims from Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and China. However, Beijing is gradually and unilaterally taking over additional archipelagos by developing military infrastructure on them.
The Chinese airport was established, among other locations, on Woody Island, where HQ-9 missile launchers, based on the Russian S-300 system, were installed in the mid-2000s. With a range of up to 200 kilometres, these Chinese missiles have established an anti-aircraft "umbrella" over the entire archipelago.
Recently, after a several-year absence, Beijing dispatched a pair of strategic H-6 bombers, Y-20 transport planes (developed by copying elements from the American C-17), and a KJ-500 early warning aircraft to Woody Island. These Chinese aircraft can be seen in satellite images.
H-6K bombers - a threat to US Navy aircraft carriers
The H-6 bomber is an old design—a Chinese licensed version of the Soviet Tu-16 bomber from the 1950s. Despite its age, thanks to significant upgrades, its new versions—such as the H-6K and the "nuclear" H-6N—are a considerable asset for Beijing.
The H-6 aircraft is capable of carrying nuclear weapons and cruise missiles. With its range, it can execute strikes beyond the "first island chain," an imaginary line stretching from the southern tips of Japan, through Taiwan and the Philippines, to Borneo. This area is within reach of Chinese tactical aviation and specific anti-aircraft systems.
With the support of H-6K/N bombers, backed by YY-20 aerial refuelling aircraft (a variant of the Y-20 previously known as the Y-20U), China can undertake strikes far beyond its controlled areas. This includes targeting the island and base of Guam, which is crucial for the American presence in the Pacific.
The weaponry carried by the H-6 includes, among others, YJ-12 anti-ship missiles, which have a range of up to 500 kilometres and a speed of Mach 4, and are considered a significant threat to the U.S. Navy, including its aircraft carriers.
