Taipei: Taiwanese military scholars on Wednesday expressed concerns about recent movements by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), emphasizing the need for Taiwan to be better equipped to handle precision strikes and aircraft carrier operations. The scholars pointed out increased bomber activity in the Taiwan Strait, coupled with fewer aircraft operating east of Taiwan, as significant developments that Taiwan must address.

According to Focus Taiwan, Ma Chen-kun, a professor at National Defense University’s Graduate Institute of China Military Affairs Studies, highlighted that once the PLA’s bomber-centric operational capabilities are fully developed, they will be capable of executing “one-off, controlled, surgical” strikes on specific targets in Taiwan. These operations could be carried out without inflicting harm on civilians. Ma made these statements during a seminar in Taipei, hosted by National Chengchi University’s Institute of International Relations, which focused on PLA movements and their implications for Taiwan’s security.

Ma noted that the PLA’s H-6 bombers have been increasingly active in the Taiwan Strait, being spotted on as many as 14 days in September. Previously, these bombers typically appeared in Taiwan’s southwestern airspace and then transited through the Bashi Channel, targeting locations such as Guam or U.S. naval vessels in the Western Pacific. This shift in strategy since September signals a new approach by the PLA.

The H-6 series bombers are equipped to carry a variety of munitions, including standard, supersonic, and hypersonic land-attack missiles, as well as anti-ship missiles. This arsenal enables them to conduct precision strikes, particularly against Taiwan’s west coast and central Taipei, while minimizing civilian casualties, Ma explained.