https://www.scmp.com/rss/324041/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Physical fitness and divergent political views appear to be the key obstacles that may discourage Hong Kong’s young people from serving in the nation’s military after it emerged authorities in Beijing are considering allowing residents to enlist. While pro-establishment politicians welcomed the news on joining the military, revealed on Thursday, the opposition pan-democrats saw it as Beijing’s latest attempt to boost citizens’ national identity amid the rise of localist sentiments. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2162104/beijing-studying-possibility-hongkongers-serving-peoples?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2162104/beijing-studying-possibility-hongkongers-serving-peoples?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Aug 2018 01:00:15 +0000 I concur with the opinion expressed by Lo Wai Kong in his letter published on August 2, that military land is an option for solving the Hong Kong housing problem (“Building homes on military land seen as win-win”). The Hong Kong government should petition the Chinese central government to reduce its military garrison in Hong Kong by half, thus releasing half of the 2,750 hectares of People’s Liberation Army land for Hong Kong housing development. This is a win-win situation because the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/2158602/why-hong-kong-should-petition-beijing-give-half-pla-land-housing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/2158602/why-hong-kong-should-petition-beijing-give-half-pla-land-housing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Aug 2018 22:01:34 +0000 China’s systems to launch and catch carrier-based aircraft are more advanced than those ­designed for the new generation of US supercarriers, according to a ­Chinese expert in the technology. Rear Admiral Ma Weiming, a top engineer working on the project, said on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress on Monday that China had made breakthroughs in its advanced ­arresting gear (AAG) system designed to retrieve aircraft at sea, while the US had stumbled. “The Gerald Ford cancelled its AAG... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2079192/can-china-leapfrog-us-scramble-worlds-best-aircraft?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2079192/can-china-leapfrog-us-scramble-worlds-best-aircraft?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Mar 2017 15:45:45 +0000 Beijing is likely to hold a large-scale military parade to mark the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the PLA, just a few months ahead of a party leadership reshuffle scheduled to take place late this year, military sources say. A PLA general from the ground force said President Xi Jinping, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, was expected to inspect troops on PLA Day on August 1. The last such large military parade was one commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2079193/massive-parade-tipped-plas-90th-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2079193/massive-parade-tipped-plas-90th-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Mar 2017 15:45:30 +0000 A 7 per cent defence budget increase rate for the world’s biggest army was carefully decided and aimed at keeping China from becoming tangled in an arms race with the United States, Chinese military experts say. However, overseas military analysts said Beijing’s apparent attempt to downplay the sensitivity of the nation’s defence budget figure would stimulate more speculation over its accuracy and the People’s Liberation Army’s strategic development. Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie said the 7... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2077391/china-avoiding-arms-race-us-setting-low-key-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2077391/china-avoiding-arms-race-us-setting-low-key-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Mar 2017 04:56:51 +0000 The PLA Navy will assume a larger role in national defence to ­support the country’s growing ­assertiveness in protecting its maritime claims, including in the disputed South China Sea, a ­retired senior general said. Liu Xiaojiang, a former navy political commissar, said the traditional view that land forces were the PLA’s priority must change. “The navy’s role will be more and more important,” Liu said on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress session on Sunday. “China is a maritime... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2076240/navy-must-take-lead-national-defence-retired-pla?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2076240/navy-must-take-lead-national-defence-retired-pla?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Mar 2017 00:00:59 +0000 For the first time in decades, ­Beijing has not revealed its ­defence spending total for the year despite a stated commitment to transparency in military ­outlays. The decision is seen as an attempt to downplay the sensitive budget figure, which has not only raised concerns in the international community but also among military personnel who want spending to rise at a faster rate. The total military budget has long been included in the Ministry of Finance’s report released at the start of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2076253/china-all-quiet-its-military-spending-front?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2076253/china-all-quiet-its-military-spending-front?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Mar 2017 14:47:45 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to review troops at the PLA’s Hong Kong garrison as part of events to mark the 20th anniversary of the city’s handover to Chinese sovereignty, according to the former PLA commander. “It is standard practice for there to be a military review but the Central Military Commission has not yet made a final decision,” said General Zhang Shibo, a former PLA Hong Kong garrison commander. Under the Basic Law, the central government is responsible for the defence of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2076208/xi-jinping-likely-preside-over-military-parade-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2076208/xi-jinping-likely-preside-over-military-parade-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Mar 2017 09:30:15 +0000 China faces “far more complicated and graver situations” both at home and abroad as it steps up economic development and seeks to play a greater international role, Premier Li Keqiang said in his annual report on Sunday. In his speech delivered at the opening of the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, Li spoke about a wide range of issues including border control and defence, China’s economic goals, the role of the Chinese currency, calls for Hong Kong independence, as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2076161/china-aims-65-cent-economic-growth-or-higher-if?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2076161/china-aims-65-cent-economic-growth-or-higher-if?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Mar 2017 00:45:00 +0000 China will increase its defence budget by about 7 per cent this year, the smallest boost since 2010, a move which analysts said reflected the nation’s continuing economic slowdown. The announcement of the figure on Saturday by Fu Ying, spokeswoman of the National People’s Congress, came amid rising calls by military officers for defence spending to be boosted by at least 10 per cent as China seeks to improve the fighting capability of the People’s Liberation Army. China’s PLA reforms slash... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2076111/china-raises-military-budget-7pc-amid-slower-economic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2076111/china-raises-military-budget-7pc-amid-slower-economic?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Mar 2017 16:11:16 +0000 China will increase its defence budget by about 7 per cent this year, the smallest boost since 2010, a move which analysts said reflected the nation’s continuing economic slowdown. The announcement of the figure on Saturday by Fu Ying, spokeswoman of the National People’s Congress, came amid rising calls by military officers for defence spending to be boosted by at least 10 per cent as China seeks to improve the fighting capability of the People’s Liberation Army. Defence Budget Fu said this... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2076077/china-raise-defence-spending-7-cent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2076077/china-raise-defence-spending-7-cent?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Mar 2017 07:45:15 +0000 Chinese military experts say Beijing needs to resume double-digit increases in defence spending in the coming year to meet the increasing challenges facing the nation’s military at home and abroad. The country’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress, is due to announce this year’s budget for the People’s Liberation Army next week. The congress announced defence expenditure of 954 billion yuan (US$138.6 billion) in 2016. That amounted to 7.6 per cent growth on the previous year,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2074356/china-needs-ramp-defence-spending-amid-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2074356/china-needs-ramp-defence-spending-amid-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Feb 2017 06:46:04 +0000