https://www.scmp.com/rss/322554/feed Latest news, features and opinion on the military in China, including the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the development of warships, aircraft carriers and fighter jets, spending on the armed forces and reforms and modernisation. US-China and mainland-Taiwan military tensions and the deployment of China’s armed forces overseas are also covered. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Phoebe Zhang,William Zheng Phoebe Zhang,William Zheng Aerodynamics expert Gu Songfen has died at 96. He was the chief designer of China’s J-8 fighter jet family – the first home-grown supersonic fighter jet to counter US high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft. Gu was an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering as well as a researcher at the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). He died in Beijing on Sunday night, according to a statement from AVIC. A farewell ceremony is scheduled for Saturday in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355594/gu-songfen-pioneering-designer-chinese-supersonic-fighter-jets-dies-96?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355594/gu-songfen-pioneering-designer-chinese-supersonic-fighter-jets-dies-96?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:17:12 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen As China marks the 20th anniversary of completing its first domestically developed high-thrust turbofan engine for fighter jets, the WS-10 – Woshan-10, meaning Turbofan-10 – continues its crucial role in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The WS-10 turbofan engine was code-named Taihang after the famous Chinese mountain range. The Taihang engine family serves as the backbone of the PLA’s major active combat fighters, powering fourth-generation jets such as the J-10C, the J-11B, the air force’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355472/how-chinas-home-grown-ws-10-engine-helped-make-country-modern-air-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355472/how-chinas-home-grown-ws-10-engine-helped-make-country-modern-air-power?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s claim it had used “electronic interference” during a confrontation with a Dutch warship in the disputed waters of the South China Sea might signal growing confidence in its capabilities in this area, analysts said. The PLA’s Southern Theatre Command, which oversees the South China Sea, accused the frigate De Ruyter of “illegally entering” waters near the Paracel Islands on Wednesday and repeatedly sending a helicopter into Chinese airspace. Chinese air and naval forces had issued verbal... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355342/plas-response-dutch-warship-south-china-sea-putting-down-marker-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355342/plas-response-dutch-warship-south-china-sea-putting-down-marker-future?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 13:15:32 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Bangladesh’s potential purchase of a Sino-Pakistani fighter jet could raise tensions in India’s sensitive northeast, as relations between Dhaka and New Delhi remain tense, analysts said. According to Pakistani media reports, the country has transferred a fully operational simulator of a JF-17 Thunder Block III combat aircraft to Bangladesh. Fighter jet simulators replicate the experience of flying an aircraft and are used to train pilots in combat tactics and systems management. Jointly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354643/why-bangladesh-could-raise-indian-red-flags-buying-china-pakistan-fighter-jet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354643/why-bangladesh-could-raise-indian-red-flags-buying-china-pakistan-fighter-jet?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China appears to be close to launching the world’s largest naval support ship. On Thursday, the China State Shipbuilding Corporation released a picture of one of its shipyards on social media as part of a message marking a new Chinese solar term, which showed a massive hull in a dry dock in the background. The photo prompted speculation among military observers that the hull was an auxiliary ship and triggered a debate about the future logistical capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354628/china-building-worlds-largest-naval-support-ship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354628/china-building-worlds-largest-naval-support-ship?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Albee Zhang,Alcott Wei Albee Zhang,Alcott Wei All three of China’s aircraft carriers could soon be able to operate the country’s J-35 stealth fighter, which Chinese experts say would “significantly” bolster the PLA Navy’s combat abilities. Currently, only China’s most advanced carrier, the Fujian, can host the J-35 as it has an electromagnetic catapult to assist the fifth-generation fighter into the air. The Liaoning and Shandong carriers launch J-15 fighters from an upwardly curved “ski-jump” deck. However, there are signs that the two... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354563/could-all-chinas-aircraft-carriers-soon-operate-j-35-stealth-fighters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354563/could-all-chinas-aircraft-carriers-soon-operate-j-35-stealth-fighters?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China has confirmed that its J-10CE fighter went undefeated against Eurofighter Typhoon jets during nine simulated air combat exercises in 2024. State broadcaster CCTV reported last week that the aircraft won all nine of its engagements in simulated combat against the multi-role fighter, without specifying the details of the exercise or which countries took part. However, Pakistani media reported that the mock battles took place during the “Zilzal-II” joint air exercise in Qatar in January 2024.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354401/chinas-j-10ce-jets-defeat-eurofighters-9-0-mock-battles-cctv-confirms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354401/chinas-j-10ce-jets-defeat-eurofighters-9-0-mock-battles-cctv-confirms?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 12:05:32 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s military mouthpiece has issued a rare warning that personnel may be insufficiently trained to operate new weapons, including unmanned systems, despite Beijing’s rapid advances in hardware. Some military units showed a low level of integration between personnel and equipment, Monday’s PLA Daily article cautioned, highlighting limited trust in systems and weak coordination between human operators and technology. It warned that without proper integration, “even advanced equipment may fail... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353974/can-pla-training-catch-chinas-rapid-weapon-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353974/can-pla-training-catch-chinas-rapid-weapon-development?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 01:00:08 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Wave-powered unmanned surface vessels (USV) could be used for maritime rights and law enforcement, researchers said, as Beijing faces heightened tensions in contested waters including the South China Sea. Writing in the latest issue of Naval and Merchant Ships, owned by China State Shipbuilding Corporation, Chen Xin and Chen Ruimiao said the self-powered vessels could be “of great value” to the sustainable management of distant waters. By converting vertical wave motion into forward thrust using... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353721/can-ai-assisted-unmanned-vessels-be-beijings-answer-south-china-sea-patrols?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353721/can-ai-assisted-unmanned-vessels-be-beijings-answer-south-china-sea-patrols?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 02:00:16 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China unveiled some of its most advanced military technology, including robot dogs and an AI-enabled underwater system that can neutralise mines, at a defence expo. Autonomous underwater vehicles designed to be launched by submarine were one of the most noteworthy products that featured at the 2026 Chengdu Defence Technology Industry Expo in mid-April. The vessels, which can be launched from 260mm or 533mm torpedo tubes, are mainly designed to conduct high-precision deep-ocean surveys and seabed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353045/underwater-anti-mine-technology-and-robot-dogs-take-centre-stage-chinese-defence-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353045/underwater-anti-mine-technology-and-robot-dogs-take-centre-stage-chinese-defence-show?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Three People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships were spotted transiting the Tsushima Strait en route to the East China Sea last week, as Tokyo closely tracks such passages amid heightened regional tensions. The vessels were two Type 055 guided-missile destroyers and a Type 052D destroyer, according to Japan’s Ministry of Defence and Self-Defence Forces on Saturday. The ministry said the Japanese force’s JS Ootaka conducted “alert surveillance and intelligence gathering” on the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352919/are-china-and-russia-flexing-their-maritime-muscle-near-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352919/are-china-and-russia-flexing-their-maritime-muscle-near-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 11:00:06 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Phoebe Zhang Seong Hyeon Choi,Phoebe Zhang China has confirmed for the first time that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during its war with India last year. During the conflict, a Chinese-made fighter shot down at least one of India’s French-made fighters. On Thursday, China’s state broadcaster CCTV aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352863/china-confirms-it-helped-pakistans-air-force-during-last-years-war-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352863/china-confirms-it-helped-pakistans-air-force-during-last-years-war-india?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 07:26:36 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain A year after fending off a massive Indian air assault with the help of Chinese warplanes and missiles, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Thursday unveiled plans to upgrade its fleet through further acquisitions of Chengdu J-10C fighters and substantial upgrades to the JF-17s co-produced by the two allies. The PAF further confirmed that it has signed an “initial collaborative agreement” for the acquisition of fifth-generation Shenyang J-35 stealth fighter, without disclosing any details about the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352829/chinese-j-35-stealth-jets-set-give-pakistan-edge-over-india-fifth-generation-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352829/chinese-j-35-stealth-jets-set-give-pakistan-edge-over-india-fifth-generation-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The Chinese military must increase the private sector’s role in research to prevent Western sanctions from “strangling” the country’s efforts at defence innovation, a top official of the People’s Liberation Army has urged. Major General Zhang Zhan, political commissar of the National University of Defence Technology (NUDT), said China’s hi-tech industries were facing a “grim and complex” situation as the United States and its allies intensified their campaign to curb access to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352798/private-firms-can-help-stop-western-sanctions-strangling-chinas-military-general?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352798/private-firms-can-help-stop-western-sanctions-strangling-chinas-military-general?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 12:57:41 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The YJ-20 is China’s first sea-based hypersonic anti-ship missile to have entered mass production, giving the People’s Liberation Army a decisive strike advantage over all rival surface combatants worldwide. The YJ-20, with its remarkable range, hypersonic speed and near-invulnerability to interception, has been tailor-made for the Chinese navy’s Type 055 destroyer’s 112-cell vertical launch system (VLS). Specifications Also known as the Eagle Strike-20, the YJ-20 adopted the boost-glide flight... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352554/does-chinas-yj-20-hypersonic-sea-based-missile-give-beijing-edge-over-us-carriers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352554/does-chinas-yj-20-hypersonic-sea-based-missile-give-beijing-edge-over-us-carriers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi For most military powers, proving the success of one’s technology in real combat almost always requires undertaking the grave risks of war and human casualties. In the case of the People’s Liberation Army, Beijing continues to exercise great caution about joining any armed conflict, and the past few decades have brought astounding progress yet an extremely limited combat footprint for its weaponry. The Iran war could change that. As tensions around Iran persist, Pakistan, whose imported weapons... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352474/will-pakistans-new-defence-pact-saudi-arabia-give-chinese-arms-risk-free-exposure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352474/will-pakistans-new-defence-pact-saudi-arabia-give-chinese-arms-risk-free-exposure?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The Chinese navy has unveiled a new anti-drone air defence system, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Drones have fundamentally transformed naval warfare in recent years and emerged as a significant threat to modern warships in conflicts such as Russia’s war against Ukraine and the US-Israeli attacks on Iran. The CCTV report on Monday said a “finalisation test” – which certifies that a weapon system’s design meets all operational requirements – had been successfully carried out in the Bohai... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352515/china-unveils-new-naval-defence-systems-drones-change-nature-war-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352515/china-unveils-new-naval-defence-systems-drones-change-nature-war-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 11:06:14 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,William Zheng Seong Hyeon Choi,William Zheng China’s state broadcaster has given a glimpse of the first export variant of the J-35A – the country’s second land-based fifth-generation fighter jet – with Pakistan the most likely recipient, according to reports and analysis. The CCTV clip featured during the “2026 May 1st International Labour Day ‘Heart to Heart’ Special Programme” shows a J-35A model bearing the serial number 001 rolling out of the hangar with the logo of China’s largest military aircraft manufacturer, Aviation Industry... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352380/has-china-given-first-sign-its-ready-export-its-j-35a-fighter-jet-pakistan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352380/has-china-given-first-sign-its-ready-export-its-j-35a-fighter-jet-pakistan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi The Pakistan Navy has received the first of its Chinese-built Hangor-class attack submarine fleet, as Beijing and Islamabad step up defence cooperation. A commissioning ceremony was held for the advanced submarine – named the PNS/M Hangor – in the Chinese city of Sanya on Hainan Island on Thursday, according to a statement from Pakistan’s military. Asif Ali Zardari, the country’s president, and naval chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf attended the event along with senior officials from both the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352120/pakistan-commissions-first-chinese-attack-submarine-historic-milestone-navy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3352120/pakistan-commissions-first-chinese-attack-submarine-historic-milestone-navy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Beijing’s latest weaponised container ship could play a key role in deterring foreign intervention at a low cost during a Taiwan conflict, according to a mainland Chinese military magazine. The Zhong Da 79 is a medium-sized civilian cargo ship capable of carrying containerised vertical missile launchers, radar sensors and self-defence systems. It was first spotted at the end of last year at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding’s yard in Shanghai. An article by Ordnance Industry Science Technology... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351887/why-beijings-weaponised-cargo-ship-could-be-crucial-player-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351887/why-beijings-weaponised-cargo-ship-could-be-crucial-player-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:24:25 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang The United States has “no defence against hypersonic weapons or cruise missiles”, a senior Pentagon official told Congress on Monday, as US President Donald Trump’s US$185 billion Golden Dome missile shield faces continued scepticism. “The Golden Dome will strengthen deterrence by denying adversaries the ability to achieve their objectives through coercion or aggression,” Marc Berkowitz, the assistant secretary of defence for missile defence and deterrence policy, told a Senate hearing on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351626/trumps-golden-dome-will-combat-chinas-hypersonic-weapons-cruise-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351626/trumps-golden-dome-will-combat-chinas-hypersonic-weapons-cruise-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:28:59 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The Chinese military aired footage over the weekend of YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile launches, as joint US-Philippines-Japan drills heighten tensions in the disputed South China Sea. China Military Bugle, a social media account run by the People’s Liberation Army, posted a video on Sunday of the PLA Navy conducting strike tests at sea, including multiple YJ-20 launches. The post did not specify when and where the missiles were fired. However, the footage was released two days after Beijing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351593/pla-showcases-yj-20-hypersonic-missiles-balikatan-drills-heat-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351593/pla-showcases-yj-20-hypersonic-missiles-balikatan-drills-heat-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:13:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen A Chinese naval video has fuelled speculation that its next aircraft carrier is likely to be nuclear-powered. The film Into The Deep was released on Wednesday to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army Navy. Highlighting the continuity of China’s maritime ambitions, from coastal defence to a “blue-water” navy capable of deep-sea operations, the film also included footage from real-life drills in the western Pacific and the use of advanced equipment. It also... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351420/did-china-just-drop-hint-its-next-aircraft-carrier-will-be-nuclear-powered?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351420/did-china-just-drop-hint-its-next-aircraft-carrier-will-be-nuclear-powered?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse G7 countries on Friday insisted on their support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), warning of the dangers from a Russian and Chinese build-up. “We are concerned with China’s and Russia’s significant nuclear weapons build-up and modernisation,” the G7 Non-proliferation Directors Group said in a statement published on the French foreign ministry website. The group brings together the diplomats from the Group of Seven countries – Britain, Canada, France, Germany,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351390/g7-concerned-russia-and-chinas-nuclear-build?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351390/g7-concerned-russia-and-chinas-nuclear-build?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:48:31 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Beijing has held naval exercises in waters east of a Philippine island near Taiwan in an apparent response to nearby annual military drills hosted by Manila and Washington. The People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command said on Friday that a naval fleet had “recently” held drills in waters east of Luzon, the northernmost major island of the Philippines. The drills were “a necessary action taken in response to the current regional situation”, said the command, which oversees the South... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351353/china-stages-navy-drill-us-and-philippines-embark-balikatan-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351353/china-stages-navy-drill-us-and-philippines-embark-balikatan-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:29:21 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China’s next-generation “drone-carrier” amphibious assault ship is en route to the South China Sea for critical sea trials, the military announced on Tuesday, in the same waters where the US, the Philippines and Japan are conducting large-scale joint military exercises and the aircraft carrier Liaoning is apparently sailing to. “The Sichuan, our country’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, has set sail from Shanghai for relevant waters in the South China Sea to carry out scientific research... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350932/chinas-new-type-076-drone-carrier-take-part-south-china-sea-training-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350932/chinas-new-type-076-drone-carrier-take-part-south-china-sea-training-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 21:09:29 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China “has to be involved” in nuclear arms control talks, while the US must step up its nuclear modernisation, including deploying more bombers, a senator responsible for overseeing American strategic forces said on Monday. “We need to be able to have a verifiable [treaty] and ensure accountability under treaties, and have them enforced with Russia and with China,” said Deb Fischer, a Nebraska Republican and chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces subcommittee. The US has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350791/china-has-be-involved-any-nuclear-arms-control-talks-us-senator-urges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350791/china-has-be-involved-any-nuclear-arms-control-talks-us-senator-urges?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:55:13 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong Chinese researchers have developed a flexible 5G millimetre-wave antenna made from photo paper which they say slashes material costs by more than 95 per cent, potentially removing a key barrier to large-scale naval 5G adoption. They described a paper-based flexible multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna engineered specifically for shipborne 5G communications in a study published in the peer-reviewed Chinese Journal of Ship Research and led by Yang Wendong of Liaoning Technical... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350623/low-cost-paper-antenna-paves-way-large-scale-5g-upgrade-chinese-warships-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350623/low-cost-paper-antenna-paves-way-large-scale-5g-upgrade-chinese-warships-study?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen A Chinese military magazine has suggested that if Taiwan sends a swarm of uncrewed combat boats across the strait – a strategy inspired by Ukraine – Beijing could counter with its GJ-21 stealth attack drones. According to a commentary in Defence Review, the GJ-21 has long endurance and high manoeuvrability, which would give it a critical advantage against a “game changing” swarm attack by unmanned surface vessels. The GJ-21 – a naval variant of the GJ-11 Sharp Sword – is the world’s first and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350616/how-pla-may-use-stealth-drones-swarming-boat-attack-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350616/how-pla-may-use-stealth-drones-swarming-boat-attack-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The People’s Liberation Army could use minelaying drones to blockade Japan and other waters in the strategic first island chain during a conflict over Taiwan, a mainland Chinese military magazine has suggested. The PLA’s strategy would see AJX002 drones used for “offensive minelaying” missions targeting Japan’s islands, including the Ryukyu archipelago, as well as the waters of the Philippines, according to an analysis in the latest edition of Shipborne Weapons. It comes as America’s blockade of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350562/could-pla-use-minelaying-drones-first-island-chain-blockade-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350562/could-pla-use-minelaying-drones-first-island-chain-blockade-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi South Korea’s combat-proven, interoperable and geopolitically accessible surface-to-air missiles could hinder China’s efforts to sell its own defence systems to the Middle East, analysts have suggested. The US-Israel war on Iran has been marked by tit-for-tat missile and drone attacks across the Persian Gulf states, driving a surge in demand for surface-to-air missiles to defend against incoming Iranian aerial threats. According to a study by the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350414/will-south-koreas-goldilocks-missile-dent-chinas-middle-east-arms-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350414/will-south-koreas-goldilocks-missile-dent-chinas-middle-east-arms-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US military leaders painted a picture of Chinese military threats, spanning Taiwan and space, as they briefed Congress on the military readiness for the financial year 2027 on Wednesday. The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) “invasion rehearsals and live-fire exercises near Taiwan and around the region” had illustrated “the need for combat-ready naval forces in the Indo-Pacific”, according to James Kilby, vice chief of Naval Operations. “[The US Navy therefore] remains committed to partnering and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350232/china-threat-used-convince-congress-need-bolster-us-military-capabilities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350232/china-threat-used-convince-congress-need-bolster-us-military-capabilities?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:08:57 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Major General Feng Yufang, a leading missile scientist with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force, died on Monday at the age of 63, according to state media and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE). The official CAE website confirmed that Feng, one of its academicians, died on April 13. Although it did not give a cause of death, an article by state media outlet China Daily on Tuesday stated that he died of illness. With a career spanning nearly 40 years in military equipment... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350064/chinese-rocket-force-scientist-major-general-feng-yufang-dies-aged-63?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350064/chinese-rocket-force-scientist-major-general-feng-yufang-dies-aged-63?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s new-generation medium-lift transport aircraft will surpass America’s best counterpart, the C-130J “Super Hercules”, in most performance metrics, according to a Chinese military magazine. The four-engine turboprop aircraft, frequently referred to as the Y-30 or Y-15, conducted its maiden test flight in December last year. It is developed by Shaanxi Aircraft Industry Corporation, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The Chinese “new medium-lift transporter”,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349648/move-over-hercules-chinas-new-y-30-aims-outmuscle-americas-best-transport-aircraft?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349648/move-over-hercules-chinas-new-y-30-aims-outmuscle-americas-best-transport-aircraft?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen A Chinese underwater drone was caught by an Indonesian fisherman near a key waterway leading to Australia on Monday, local media reported. The discovery of the “torpedo-like” object near the Lombok Strait comes at a time of increasing Chinese underwater activity in sensitive areas. The waterway between Bali and Lombok is closely watched by the United States and Australia. It is one of the few deepwater routes that can accommodate submarine transits at operational depth and is also suitable for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349290/indonesian-fisherman-nets-surprise-catch-chinese-underwater-drone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349290/indonesian-fisherman-nets-surprise-catch-chinese-underwater-drone?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China has miniaturised the technology used to make electromagnetic cannons to develop a handheld coil gun, according to state media. The weapon was designed for stealth, non-lethal operations and law enforcement, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Saturday, adding that it could fire between 1,000 and 2,000 projectiles a minute and penetrate wooden boards from dozens of metres away. Its power levels can also be altered, meaning that on lower settings there is less chance it will kill someone and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349089/china-unveils-handheld-coil-gun-works-less-deadly-pistol?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349089/china-unveils-handheld-coil-gun-works-less-deadly-pistol?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Iran has demanded explanations from two Gulf states equipped with Chinese-made Wing Loong II drones after one was reportedly shot down in the war with the United States and Israel. Both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are known to have the reconnaissance and precision strike drones in their arsenals. The drone was shot down over the city of Shiraz on Thursday, according to Esmail Baqaei, a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry. Baqaei posted photos of drone wreckage on social... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349036/iran-demands-explanations-saudis-and-uae-after-chinese-made-drone-was-shot-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349036/iran-demands-explanations-saudis-and-uae-after-chinese-made-drone-was-shot-down?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:51:34 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The People’s Liberation Army has upgraded its ageing tanks for a potential Taiwan operation, equipping them with a system to counter drone attacks and anti-tank missiles, according to state media. Type 96A main battle tanks with the GL-6 active protection system, or APS, installed were shown in video footage released by official newspaper China Youth Daily on Monday. The tanks belong to the 71st Group Army unit under the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command, which is mainly responsible for possible... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348816/pla-upgrades-ageing-tanks-protection-system-potential-taiwan-operation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348816/pla-upgrades-ageing-tanks-protection-system-potential-taiwan-operation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen As Tokyo was completing the deployment on Tuesday of its two Type 25 missiles targeting China, a Chinese naval fleet entered the Sea of Japan, while bilateral tensions continued to escalate. China has strongly protested the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force’s addition of the newly designated Type 25 long-range surface-to-ship guided (SSM) missile and hypervelocity gliding projectiles (HGP). The deployments in the waters – also known in South Korea as the East Sea – were an example of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348676/chinese-navy-arrives-sea-japan-just-tokyo-deploys-long-range-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348676/chinese-navy-arrives-sea-japan-just-tokyo-deploys-long-range-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:01:24 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China has conducted the maiden flight of the Changying-8, which it says is the world’s heaviest multi-terrain cargo drone with the potential for military applications. The CY-8, which was developed under defence contractor China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (Norinco), is capable of short take-offs and landings as well as operating on high-altitude plateaus and island regions. According to state broadcaster CCTV, the drone successfully completed its maiden flight on Tuesday morning... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348559/china-tests-worlds-heaviest-cargo-drone-suited-high-altitude-and-island-operations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348559/china-tests-worlds-heaviest-cargo-drone-suited-high-altitude-and-island-operations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:29:17 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China’s new air-based nuclear missile will boost the country’s ability to survive a first strike and retaliate, reinforcing confidence in its no-first-use policy, according to a state-linked military magazine. The Jinglei-1 nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) made its debut at the World War II Victory Day parade in Beijing last September. It can be carried by the PLA Air Force’s H-6N strategic bombers, completing the People’s Liberation Army’s “nuclear triad” – the ability to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348174/what-debut-new-air-based-missile-means-chinas-nuclear-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348174/what-debut-new-air-based-missile-means-chinas-nuclear-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s military canine robots have evolved into intelligent “wolf packs” with specialised roles and a shared “brain” to coordinate complex tasks in urban warfare, according to state media. Compared with earlier models deployed and tested by the People’s Liberation Army, these “robot wolves” have achieved a transformational leap from a “single-soldier support system to a coordinated swarm combat platform”, state broadcaster CCTV said in a documentary series episode that aired on Thursday. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348167/rise-wolf-pack-chinas-canine-robots-evolve-think-one-urban-combat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3348167/rise-wolf-pack-chinas-canine-robots-evolve-think-one-urban-combat?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:01:18 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Beijing should develop an air-based interceptor system as missile threats escalate from Washington and its regional allies, as well as Taiwan and India, a mainland Chinese military magazine has urged, pointing to developments in the Iran war. The war in the Middle East, particularly the “nearly insurmountable challenges” posed by Iran’s ballistic missiles to Israel, is exposing the limitations of existing midcourse and terminal-phase missile defence systems, according to an analysis in the March... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347981/iran-war-shows-why-china-must-change-course-missile-interception-tech-analysis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347981/iran-war-shows-why-china-must-change-course-missile-interception-tech-analysis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:18 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Tan Ruisong, the former boss of China’s top military aviation company, has been given a suspended death sentence for reaping over 613 million yuan (US$89 million) from bribes and insider trading. Tan, 64, was the chairman and Communist Party secretary of state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) – China’s leading military aircraft maker – from 2018 until his retirement in March 2023. He is one of the most prominent defence sector executives to come under investigation in President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347885/former-defence-exec-tan-ruisong-given-death-sentence-exceptional-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347885/former-defence-exec-tan-ruisong-given-death-sentence-exceptional-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen There is little chance the US could bring China to the table on any nuclear arms control agreements in the short term, despite upcoming leaders’ meetings this year, experts said on Tuesday, as the Trump administration pushes for a trilateral deal including China after the previous US-Russia treaty expired last month. There is “no shortage of good ideas” for how the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could move the world towards ending a nuclear... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347775/us-unlikely-get-china-join-new-nuclear-arms-control-agreement-say-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347775/us-unlikely-get-china-join-new-nuclear-arms-control-agreement-say-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:02:23 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen A pair of advanced destroyers kicked off an intensive and wide-ranging training exercise soon after they were assigned to the People’s Liberation Army division that oversees Taiwan and the East China Sea. The newly commissioned 12,000-tonne guided-missile destroyers, the Dongguan and Anqing, took part in their first live-fire training in mid-March, simulating high-intensity combat missions, the official PLA Daily reported on Sunday. The Type 055 “super destroyers” are the first of their kind in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347726/new-type-055-destroyers-pla-east-china-fleet-tested-first-live-fire-drill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347726/new-type-055-destroyers-pla-east-china-fleet-tested-first-live-fire-drill?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:12:05 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen While Iranian Shahed-136 suicide drones recently drew attention for destroying key US radars and striking targets as far away as Cyprus in the US-Israel war on Iran, their distant “cousins” in China may pose an even higher risk in a future conflict. China’s ASN-301 shares the Iranian drone’s aerodynamic delta-wing design that is rooted in a common technological origin. The Chinese drone and its variants have evolved into either a highly sophisticated SEAD (suppression of enemy air defences)... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347494/why-chinas-asn-301-suicide-drone-more-deadly-its-iranian-counterpart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347494/why-chinas-asn-301-suicide-drone-more-deadly-its-iranian-counterpart?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The People’s Liberation Army has announced a new AI-assisted task dispatch system for China’s aerial refuelling tankers, days after a US military tanker crashed in the Middle East. According to the official PLA Daily, the Chinese air force has streamlined its aerial refuelling operations with a smart artificial intelligence (AI) system to improve efficiency and safety. The report on Monday came just days after a US Air Force Boeing KC-135 “Stratotanker” aerial refuelling tanker crashed in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347011/chinas-pla-reveals-ai-assisted-aerial-refuelling-tech-days-after-us-military-tanker-crash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347011/chinas-pla-reveals-ai-assisted-aerial-refuelling-tech-days-after-us-military-tanker-crash?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The chief designer on the J-20 stealth fighter jet has been removed from the website of China’s national research institute, amid a sweeping campaign to stamp out corruption in the defence sector. Yang Wei, 62, had been listed as a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the top academic body for science and technology. But as of Monday, his name was no longer on the site, according to a snapshot from Internet Archive, which seeks to preserve online content. Yang has not appeared in public... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346972/j-20-fighter-jet-designer-scrubbed-chinese-academy-sciences-website?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346972/j-20-fighter-jet-designer-scrubbed-chinese-academy-sciences-website?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China leads the world in patent applications for anti-drone technology, which has drawn heightened attention during the wars in Ukraine and Iran and a spate of suspicious sightings in the West, according to intellectual property law firm Mathys & Squire. Patent applications for anti-drone systems rose 27 per cent over the past year, with China submitting 82 compared with 22 from the US, the second-largest filer, the 115-year-old UK-based law firm said on Monday. South Korea ranked third with six... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346874/china-leads-world-anti-drone-patents-us-and-south-korea-far-behind-law-firm-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346874/china-leads-world-anti-drone-patents-us-and-south-korea-far-behind-law-firm-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:00:08 +0000