Exclusive: Type 071 amphibious transport dock, H-6K bombers involved in PLA's drills around Huangyan Dao; move aimed at countering series of Philippine activities: experts

On August 1, 2026—the PLA's 99th founding anniversary—Chinese forces conducted drills around Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal) involving at least one Type 071 amphibious transport dock and H-6K bombers, a pairing that combines over-the-horizon strike with amphibious lift in a single exercise. The combination documents a deliberate escalation in the toolkit Beijing deploys against Philippine activities at Scarborough, extending beyond the coast guard and maritime militia pressure that has dominated that theater to include platforms capable of forcible entry and land-attack strike. The anniversary timing reinforces the domestic messaging dimension, though whether the exercise involved live fire or simulated assault profiles is not reported.