South China Sea Exercises in Huangyan Island by Southern Theater Command, Experts: Three-Dimensional Amphibious Combat Power Deterrence Against Infringement and Provocation

[Global Times - Global Network Report by reporter Guo Yuandan] According to news from the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army, on August 1, the Southern Theater Command organized a joint naval and air training exercise in the territorial waters, airspace, and surrounding maritime areas of Huangyan Island. The Southern Theater Command's rare public release of on-site footage has led military experts interviewed by the Global Times to state that this joint exercise demonstrates the PLA's strong capabilities in maritime assault and island-seizing operations.

The message released by the Southern Theater Command emphasizes that this is a necessary action in response to the current situation in the South China Sea and the actions of certain regional countries that undermine peace and stability in the area, aimed at testing and enhancing the troops' practical capabilities to maintain national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

"From the publicly released video footage by the Southern Theater Command, it can be seen that this exercise focuses on maritime assault and island-seizing capabilities," military expert Zhang Junsha stated in an interview with the Global Times on the 1st. The footage shows that the H-6K is equipped with YJ-12 heavy supersonic anti-ship missiles, which have a range of four to five hundred kilometers, fully covering the waters around Huangyan Island. This type of missile cruises at supersonic speeds throughout its flight, with terminal penetration speeds reaching four to five Mach, capable of severely damaging or even incapacitating large surface vessels of ten thousand tons. "It can create a strong deterrent against maritime provocations from relevant forces," Zhang Junsha stated.

The training footage shows that the naval forces involved include Type 071 landing ships, Type 054A missile frigates, and Type 056A missile frigates, among which the landing ship, as the name suggests, has the capability for island assault operations.

"The footage shows that Z-20J and Z-8C helicopters are taking off and landing from the Type 071 landing ship, paired with the Wild Horse air-cushion landing craft for dock exercises, marking the mature coordination of our naval aviation forces, aerial vertical delivery, and heavy surface delivery, establishing a three-dimensional amphibious combat system of 'aerial vertical assault + heavy surface landing,'" Zhang Junsha stated. Among them, the Z-8C is responsible for large-scale personnel and material delivery; the Z-20J handles both troop delivery and accompanying fire suppression, undertaking rapid helicopter landing to seize key points; the Wild Horse air-cushion craft can carry heavy equipment such as tanks and armored vehicles, suitable for reef and shallow water environments, compensating for the limitations of helicopters in delivering heavy equipment.

While conducting the joint naval and air training exercise, on August 1, China's Ministry of Natural Resources and other departments jointly issued the "Management Measures for the National Nature Reserve of Huangyan Island."

Earlier this week, the Philippines submitted an "official nautical chart" of Huangyan Island to the United Nations, claiming that "this move helps further clarify the maritime rights that the Philippines enjoys under international law." On July 31, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying, "This nautical chart is based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, marking the normal baseline of Huangyan Island, as well as the external limits of the 12 nautical mile territorial sea and the 24 nautical mile contiguous zone."

In response, Zhang Junsha stated that the Southern Theater Command deployed this elite naval and air force to conduct combat readiness patrols, intending to send a clear signal to the Philippines and external forces, fully demonstrating the firm determination to defend national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

"This warns relevant forces to stop unnecessary infringement provocations. Currently, we have tight control over the maritime and air situation around Huangyan Island, and our troops are always on standby, capable of responding decisively and forcefully to various provocative actions, firmly safeguarding national sovereignty and maritime rights," Zhang Junsha said.