# PLA Southern Theater

China Flies H-6K Bombers over Scarborough Shoal to Signal Control and Reach

China’s Southern Theater Command sent H-6K strategic bombers and fighters to patrol around Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal), signalling Beijing’s assertion of control and showcasing the H-6K’s extended strike and sensing capabilities. The deployment responds to a Philippine move to designate an exercise area covering the shoal and highlights the growing role of long-range Chinese airpower in South China Sea disputes.