Pakistan 2026 and the PLA's Multidimensional Countermeasures in the South China Sea: Bombers Carrying Supersonic Missiles Cruise Huangyan Island, 055 Destroyers Conduct Live Fire Exercises East of Luzon Island

From early April to early May 2026, the situation in the South China Sea once again became the focus of security competition in the Indo-Pacific region. The "Balikatan 2026" joint military exercise, led by the United States and the Philippines, commenced in late April, with participating forces reaching as high as 17,000 personnel, setting a record for the largest scale of exercises in that year's series. More significantly, the Japan Self-Defense Forces participated for the first time as a complete combat unit, while Australia and Canada also sent vessels to join, forming a multinational naval formation of 11 ships in the waters north of Luzon Island in the Philippines. In response to this unprecedented large-scale military presence, the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) launched multidimensional countermeasures, including bomber patrols, live-fire exercises with surface ship formations, forward deployment of aircraft carrier strike groups, and sea trials of new amphibious assault ships, achieving new heights in scale, intensity, and tactical coordination in recent years.

On May 1, 2026, a spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command confirmed that naval and air forces conducted combat readiness patrols in the air and sea near Scarborough Shoal. According to multiple sources, the naval and air force configuration for this operation was exceptionally elite: the aerial forces included at least two H-6 long-range bombers, each armed with YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missiles—this missile type has a maximum speed exceeding Mach 3 and a range of about 400 kilometers, utilizing a ramjet engine for propulsion and possessing complex maneuverability for penetration in its terminal phase, making it one of the most important air-launched anti-ship weapons in active service with the PLA. Among the J-16 fighter jets providing escort for the bombers, at least one was observed carrying YJ-91 cruise missiles. This missile is a domestically improved version of the Russian Kh-31, available in both anti-ship and anti-radiation configurations, capable of striking both maritime targets and land-based radar systems. In terms of surface vessels, two 054A-class frigates, the Bayan Nur (hull number 551) and the Tongliao (hull number 554), along with a 056A-class light frigate, the Hanzhong (hull number 648), participated in the patrol simultaneously. The firepower configuration of this naval and air combination clearly conveyed a message: the Southern Theater Command of the PLA is capable of simultaneously addressing threats from surface vessels and suppressing land-based air defense systems in the direction of Scarborough Shoal.

Meanwhile, the PLA Navy launched more targeted actions in broader maritime areas. After the initiation of the Balikatan exercise, the Liaoning aircraft carrier strike group (hull number 16) crossed the Taiwan Strait into the South China Sea for deployment, with its carrier-based J-15 fighter jet formation conducting high-frequency takeoff and landing training during this period. Even more noteworthy was the surface action group led by the 055-class destroyer Zunyi (hull number 107), which directly advanced to the waters east of Luzon Island and organized live-fire shooting exercises. The choice of this deployment location has clear operational intent: the eastern bays and ports of Luzon Island have recently been viewed by U.S. and Philippine military planners as alternative delivery routes to avoid PLA strikes on Subic Bay and Manila Bay in potential conflicts, and the live-fire exercises conducted by the Zunyi formation in this area essentially challenge and deter this strategic alternative. Additionally, at least four Chinese naval vessels—including an 815-class electronic reconnaissance ship—conducted full-course tracking and monitoring of the multinational naval formation, achieving real-time awareness of the exercise forces' dynamics.

From the perspective of equipment development, this South China Sea competition is also accompanied by a noteworthy milestone. The PLA Navy's first 076-class amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, officially departed from Shanghai on April 23, 2026, entering the South China Sea to carry out its first cross-regional sea trials and training missions. The 076-class is estimated to have a full-load displacement exceeding 40,000 tons, featuring a dual-island design and a full-length flight deck. Its most prominent technical feature is the installation of electromagnetic catapults and arrestor wires, theoretically supporting the takeoff and landing operations of J-35 stealth fighters and various types of carrier-based drones. This capability places it between traditional amphibious assault ships and light aircraft carriers, with no direct counterpart among similar vessels globally. Deploying the Sichuan for sea trials in the disputed South China Sea not only serves the need for technical validation—given the complex meteorological and sea conditions that pose severe tests for flight deck operations, propulsion systems, and sensor performance—but also carries a clear strategic declaration: the PLA is accelerating the construction of a new type of force capable of conducting distributed maritime operations in the open sea.

From a broader perspective, the PLA's response to the Balikatan exercise reflects several noteworthy new characteristics. First is the multi-domain coordination of actions. The aerial strategic bomber patrols, surface escort formations, aircraft carrier strike group maneuvers, and electronic reconnaissance ship close monitoring were closely coordinated in time and space, forming a complete reconnaissance-deterrence-strike-denial chain. Second is the significant geographical expansion of operations. The PLA's actions are no longer limited to the northern South China Sea and China's near seas; the 055 destroyer formation directly advanced to the outer sea areas of the first island chain east of the Philippine archipelago, indicating that the PLA's maritime denial capabilities are extending into the traditionally U.S.-dominated depths of the Western Pacific. Finally, there is a strategic enhancement of transparency. The Southern Theater Command actively released information during this operation, including details about the formation composition and nature of the exercises, contrasting with the relatively vague reporting methods used previously, indicating that Beijing is adopting a more proactive narrative stance on the South China Sea issue.

Notably, a report by USNI News on April 28, 2026, pointed out that the U.S. military deployed missile systems near Taiwan during the Balikatan exercise, while the PLA's surface action group was simultaneously active in the vicinity. This synchronicity in time and space further highlights the interconnected effects between the South China Sea competition and the Taiwan Strait situation. On April 23, 2026, China Daily published a commentary clearly stating that the Philippines allowing the U.S. and Japan to establish military bases on its northern territory dangerously brings them close to Taiwan and China's reefs in the South China Sea, indicating a clear intention to place the South China Sea issue within the same strategic framework as the Taiwan issue.

In summary, the military competition in the South China Sea during Balikatan 2026 essentially serves as a high-density microcosm of the strategic competition between China and the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific region. Through multidimensional naval and air joint actions, the PLA demonstrated to the outside world the combat capabilities of a rapidly modernizing blue-water navy while also testing the tactical value of new equipment—from the 055 destroyer to the 076 amphibious assault ship—in a real confrontation environment. For the regional security landscape, the core message conveyed by this round of competition is that the military balance in the South China Sea is undergoing profound structural changes, with the projection range and response speed of all parties entering a new magnitude.