Analysts say the Chinese military has been taking on more non-military responsibilities as part of the overhaul of the armed forces.
Ding Zengyi/Xinhua via Getty Images
China's relief mission to Tonga after last month's devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami has highlighted the People's Liberation Army's ability to conduct long-range operations, according to observers.
The relief force involved navy and air force units from the PLA's Southern Theatre Command and included two Y-20 transport planes and two warships — the Type 071 amphibious landing ship Wuzhishan, and Type 901 fast combat support ship Chaganhu.
The Y-20s delivered 33 tonnes of food, water and equipment such as water purifiers and tents, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday.
The distance of more than 10,000km (6,000 miles) covered makes it the longest known overseas mission the planes have conducted, according to former PLA instructor Song Zhongping.
Meanwhile, the two ships, which reached the South Pacific nation on Friday and Sunday, delivered another 1,400 tonnes of relief material including tractors, electricity generators and medical appliances to the country.
The PLA has been expanding its relief missions, including vaccine distribution, as part of China's efforts to increase its influence over developing countries and cast itself as a responsible global player.
CPL Vanessa Parker/NZDF via AP
The latest deployment highlighted how aid and other non-military missions played a role in the PLA's modernisation process, Song said.
"The performance of the Y-20 this time has shown that its engines fulfil the practical need of our military and is competitive with top-tier transport jet standards internationally," Song said.
Built by the Xian Aircraft Industry Corporation, the Y-20 is the biggest warplane in the air force's fleet.
He also said the Wuzhishan had previously been deployed to the Gulf of Aden where the PLA was taking part in international anti-piracy missions.
"The PLA has both military and non-military missions," Song said. "Anti-terrorism, anti-piracy, disaster relief and humanitarian support are all missions of the PLA.
"These missions are very important for the modernisation of the entire army," he added, referring to Beijing's vision to build a "combat-ready" and "world-class military" by the middle of the century.
Hong Kong-based military observer Liang Guoliang said he believed the PLA's mission to Tonga indicated the Southern Theatre Command, which is responsible for the disputed South China Sea, had to cover other parts of the world, too.
"The relief work to Tonga was done by the Southern Theatre Command, meaning that the command covers not only the South China Sea but also the Southern Pacific and Indian Ocean. It shows that the command carries a heavy responsibility," Liang said.
But Song said different theatre commands had sent forces to the Gulf of Aden and the PLA might have different arrangements for sending units on non-military missions.
