China has deployed two of its advanced H-6 long-range bombers to Woody Island in the South China Sea. This marks the first time these aircraft have landed on the island since 2020. Satellite imagery taken earlier this month confirms their presence in the Paracel Islands, a territory claimed by multiple countries. Analysts view the move as a calculated demonstration of Beijing’s military capabilities. It comes at a time of rising tensions with the Philippines, increased operations near Taiwan, and just before the Shangri-La Dialogue, the region’s largest defence forum. “China’s long-range bombers don’t need to be on the Paracels so it does appear to be omni-directional signalling by Beijing, against the Philippines and against the US and other things that are going on,” said Collin Koh, a defence analyst at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. The timing of the deployment is seen as significant. French President Emmanuel Macron is set to open the forum in Singapore with a speech. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will follow with remarks outlining the Trump administration’s strategy in the region. In another notable development, a British aircraft carrier is expected to sail through the South China Sea next month. Such deployments by the UK are rare and draw close attention from regional players. Two H-6 bombers were also spotted flying over the Scarborough Shoal in late March. This occurred just before Hegseth visited the Philippines and reaffirmed the United States’ “ironclad commitment” to its treaty ally.

Full report : China’s most advanced bombers seen on disputed South China Sea island.