Satellite images show China’s most advanced H-6 bombers on disputed Paracel Islands in South China Sea

HONG KONG — Satellite imagery shows China landed two of its most advanced bombers in the disputed Paracel islands in the South China Sea this month — a gesture that some analysts described as Beijing’s latest signalling of its growing military capabilities to rivals.

The deployment marks the first time the long-range H-6 bombers have landed on Woody Island in the Paracels since 2020, and the movement of the now upgraded aircraft comes amid tensions with the Philippines, operations near Taiwan and ahead of the region’s biggest defence forum this weekend.

“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 scholar at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

French President Emmanuel Macron is due to open the three-day Shangri-La Dialogue forum in Singapore with a speech on Friday while US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will outline the Trump administration’s approach to the region on Saturday.

A British aircraft carrier is expected in the South China Sea on a rare deployment next month, diplomats say.