Escalation of the South China Sea Game: The Display of the YJ-20 Hypersonic Missile and the Trial Voyage of the Type 076 Drone Carrier Reshape Regional Power Dynamics

In late April 2026, the situation in the South China Sea suddenly escalated. As the United States, the Philippines, and Japan launched the largest-ever "Shoulder to Shoulder 2026" joint military exercise, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) undertook a series of notable military actions, including the public display of live-fire launches of the YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile, as well as the first 076-class amphibious assault ship "Sichuan" setting sail for cross-regional trials in the South China Sea. These actions, highly coordinated in both time and space, signify a new phase in the Chinese Navy's power projection capabilities.

On April 27, the Chinese military's social media account operated by the PLA Army released a striking video showcasing the PLAN conducting strike tests at sea, including the launch process of multiple YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missiles. Although the official announcement did not specify the exact time and location of the missile launches, the timing of the video release was certainly not coincidental—just two days prior, the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced that a fleet led by the 055-class destroyer "Zunyi" conducted live-fire exercises and joint air-sea training in waters east of Luzon Island.

The YJ-20, also known as the "Eagle Strike-20," is the most advanced sea-based anti-access weapon system currently in the Chinese Navy. According to publicly available analyses, the missile has a range of approximately 500 to 800 nautical miles (about 1,000 to 1,500 kilometers), with a cruising speed of up to Mach 6 and an end-phase dive attack speed accelerating to Mach 10. This means that YJ-20s launched from the South China Sea can cover most surface targets within the First Island Chain, posing a substantial threat to carrier strike groups. Notably, in December of last year, the 055-class destroyer "Wuxi" conducted a test launch of the YJ-20, and the recently released video includes two brand new launch shots, indicating that this missile type is accelerating towards multi-platform deployment and batch testing.

Even more noteworthy is the dynamic of the 076-class amphibious assault ship "Sichuan." The ship was launched on December 27, 2024, at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Company and is a new generation amphibious combat platform built by China Shipbuilding Group Co., Ltd. After completing preliminary sea trials in November 2025, it departed Shanghai in late April 2026 to execute cross-regional scientific trials and training tasks in relevant waters of the South China Sea. Analysts suggest that the focus of this trial voyage has shifted from testing the power system and basic reliability to verifying the integrated combat system, particularly the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operational processes supported by the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and amphibious coordination capabilities.

The core technological breakthrough of the Sichuan lies in its integration of the electromagnetic aircraft launch system, marking the first application of such technology on an amphibious assault ship platform globally. The ship's integrated electric propulsion system can generate approximately 78 megawatts of power, providing ample energy support for high-intensity electromagnetic launch operations. This hybrid configuration enables the Sichuan to possess amphibious delivery capabilities—able to carry over 1,000 Marine Corps personnel—and advanced UAV deployment capabilities, forming a dual-use force multiplier. In rapid island seizure operations, it can perform traditional amphibious assault tasks while also providing continuous intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and precision strike coverage through UAV formations.

From a force posture perspective, the commissioning of the Sichuan introduces a distributed lethality model. Unmanned systems launched from the amphibious platform can serve as forward sensing-strike nodes, greatly complicating the adversary's target acquisition matrix and undermining the effectiveness of traditional anti-ship missile operational doctrines. Chinese military analysts predict that subsequent trial voyages may include joint exercises with the Fujian aircraft carrier group and the 055-class destroyers, indicating that the Chinese Navy is constructing a multi-layered offshore combat system centered around aircraft carriers, with the 076-class UAV mother ship and 055-class destroyers as key nodes.

The escalation of military dynamics in the South China Sea is directly related to the "Shoulder to Shoulder 2026" military exercise. This year's exercise, running from April 20 to May 8, involves over 16,000 personnel, making it the largest joint exercise since the signing of the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty 75 years ago. The most notable change is Japan's formal participation in the exercise for the first time, rather than its previous role as an observer. Japan dispatched approximately 1,400 Self-Defense Force personnel to participate and, for the first time, conducted live-fire exercises using the Type 88 anti-ship missile on overseas territory during the drills. Previously, Japan also sent about 420 Ground Self-Defense Force personnel to participate in the US-Philippines "Sarakani" combat exercise.

Since 2026, military cooperation between Japan and the Philippines has shown signs of rapid escalation. In September 2025, the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement officially took effect, facilitating the deployment procedures for equipment and personnel between the two countries. In January 2026, both sides signed the Agreement on Mutual Provision of Supplies and Services, allowing for the exchange of logistical support and services during joint exercises or crises. Currently, the two countries are also negotiating a Military Intelligence Protection Agreement, which, once effective, will enable real-time sharing of relevant intelligence. The Japanese government has also revised the "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology" and its implementation guidelines during the exercise, allowing for the overseas sale of weaponry, including lethal weapons. In March, Japan delivered five coastal radar systems to the Philippines, claiming it would enhance the country's maritime domain awareness and coastal defense capabilities.

In response to this strategic shift, China has adopted a multi-layered approach. In addition to the aforementioned missile tests and the trial voyage of the 076-class ship, on April 24, the PLA Southern Theater Command announced that the "Zunyi" led the 107th mixed brigade in organizing military training exercises in waters east of Luzon Island, covering live-fire shooting, air-sea coordination, rapid maneuvering, and underway replenishment, aimed at testing the joint operational capabilities of the troops. The theater's statement emphasized that this was a "necessary action to respond to the current regional situation" and fully compliant with relevant international laws and norms.

From a strategic perspective, the South China Sea is currently forming a new balance of power. On one hand, the United States is strengthening military cooperation with allies such as the Philippines and Japan to construct a cross-regional deterrence framework, attempting to militarily link the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and the South China Sea, which are three geopolitical hotspots. Ma Bo, an associate professor at Nanjing University’s School of International Relations, pointed out that the most dangerous aspect of Japan-Philippines military collusion is the military binding of the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea situations. On the other hand, China is sending a clear signal to regional and external actors by showcasing hypersonic strike capabilities, deploying revolutionary UAV mother ship platforms, and organizing large-scale air-sea exercises: any future conflict scenarios in the South China Sea will no longer revolve solely around reef disputes but will be shaped by hypersonic maritime strike systems with long-range precision strike capabilities.

It is noteworthy that reports indicate that the Liaoning aircraft carrier group also appeared in the relevant waters during the same period, forming a group with the 055-class destroyers. If this information is confirmed, it would mean that the Chinese Navy has developed comprehensive operational capabilities to simultaneously deploy carrier strike groups, UAV mother ship formations, and hypersonic missile strike platforms in the South China Sea, which would have profound implications for the maritime balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region. However, the reliability of the electromagnetic launch system under combat pressure conditions, as well as the survivability of UAV strike formations in high-intensity electronic warfare environments, still present critical uncertainties that require ongoing attention.

Looking ahead, as the 076-class platform gradually completes combat validation and the YJ-20 missile achieves full deployment on the 055-class destroyers, the Chinese Navy's anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities will achieve a qualitative leap. On the US side, former President Trump has proposed a plan to build a "Iron Dome" space-based missile interception system, aiming to be operational by January 2029, with expected high costs. This arms race surrounding hypersonic weapon offense and defense is fundamentally reshaping the strategic landscape of the Indo-Pacific.