The South China Morning Post on May 16, 2018 published a report quoting PLAAF spokesman Senior Colonel Shen Jinke talking about the flights going around Taiwan and the missiles the aircraft were carrying. It also published a statement by retired PLA Second Artillery officer Song Zhongping, who comments frequently on military issues, as saying the footage showed a H-6K bomber carrying CJ-20 'long sword' cruise missiles capable of precision strikes on land and sea from more than 2,000 kms.  He said "The CJ-20 is one option the PLA might use in the event of war ... because it has several purposes, including destroying Taiwan's key military facilities or decapitating important human targets like Tsai and (Prime Minister William) Lai". He added " This cruise missile could also threaten the US naval base in Guam( if Washington wanted to intervene) when the Mainland decides to attack Taiwan."