The People’s Liberation Army is expanding two military airports to increase their capacity amid tense cross-Strait relations, Taiwanese outlet China Times reported.

According to Wang Yunfei, a senior researcher at the China Association of Policy Science, two airports in Longtian and Hui’an are being upgraded as China has fewer military airports in Fujian, the province closest to Taiwan.

The projects will increase the capacity for fighter jets as well as its ability to protect the military aircrafts by reducing the amount of fuel required for scouts and patrols in the Taiwan Strait. In the long run, the two airports, which are 170 km and 190 km away from the self-ruled island respectively, will serve as the major air bases, after the Chinese army seizes air superiority across the Taiwan Strait, Wang added.

The airport in Hui’an, which was mainly used by the army aviation’s helicopters and drones, can serve larger aircrafts such as the Xian H-6 bomber, replenishment tanker and reconnaissance aircraft.

However, Taiwan owns the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System and SLAM-ER long range missiles manufactured by the U.S. and Hsiung Feng IIE developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology. These equipment allow Taiwan to cause direct damage to the two airports, therefore they are not the best military bases to launch attacks at the island.

According to earlier reports, the expansion projects include extending the runway and enlarging the airport apron.

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