https://www.scmp.com/rss/508750/feed Amber Wang is a reporter for the China desk, and focuses on Chinese politics and diplomacy. She joined the Post in 2021, and previously worked for The New York Times and Southern Metropolis Daily. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Amber Wang Amber Wang A fully laden Chinese tanker has twice turned back from the US blockade of traffic leaving Iranian ports, despite setting off from the United Arab Emirates. The incident highlights how Chinese commercial vessels are weighing up the risks posed by the naval blockade, with analysts saying no country’s ships are receiving “special treatment”. The Rich Starry sailed east through the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf of Oman around 2am local time on Tuesday, according to data from Mingkun Technology, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350214/chinese-tanker-retreats-twice-us-hormuz-blockade-48-hours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350214/chinese-tanker-retreats-twice-us-hormuz-blockade-48-hours?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:53:28 +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 Amber Wang Amber Wang A Chinese company has tried to use AI analysis to track US aerial refuelling missions to detect the strike patterns of bombers over Iran. MizarVision, a private geospatial intelligence firm, published a report earlier this month analysing the activities of US KC-135 and KC-46 tanker aircraft during Operation Epic Fury. The report detailed critical links between known tanker movements and strikes against Iranian targets. Analysts said the tankers could be tracked through Automatic Dependent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349788/how-chinese-company-said-it-used-ai-track-us-bomber-movements-over-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349788/how-chinese-company-said-it-used-ai-track-us-bomber-movements-over-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The failure of the weekend US-Iran peace talks in Pakistan has left US President Donald Trump with a tough choice on resuming strikes, according to Chinese analysts. With midterm elections looming, further conflict would be unpopular in the United States but no military action would mean a continued stalemate over access to the Strait of Hormuz. The strait and Iran’s nuclear issues were among the main points debated during 21 hours of talks in Islamabad, according to Iranian officials. Those... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349805/trump-faces-dilemma-aftermath-failed-us-iran-peace-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349805/trump-faces-dilemma-aftermath-failed-us-iran-peace-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung,Amber Wang Lawrence Chung,Amber Wang The high-profile talks between leaders of the Communist Party and the Kuomintang are a step towards cross-strait stability despite the KMT’s opposition status in Taiwan, according to observers. Communist Party chief Xi Jinping and KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wun met in Beijing on Friday in the first such talks between the sitting leaders of the two parties in nearly a decade. Analysts in mainland China and Taiwan broadly agreed that the encounter signalled a revival of cross-strait engagement... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349690/will-cheng-li-wuns-meeting-xi-jinping-temper-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349690/will-cheng-li-wuns-meeting-xi-jinping-temper-cross-strait-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Whether the US-Israeli war on Iran wraps up quickly or drags on, the repercussions will be felt for years, reshaping warfare, geopolitics and energy security as well as how the world sees the United States and its tactical and strategic capabilities. In the final instalment of a three-part series, we look at the move away from precision strikes on limited military assets. When Iran’s South Pars gas field was hit at the start of the US-Israeli war on the country, Tehran retaliated with attacks on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349430/iran-war-us-shifting-away-its-strategy-precision-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349430/iran-war-us-shifting-away-its-strategy-precision-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Amber Wang,Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Amber Wang,Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China soon after Donald Trump’s trip in May in a diplomatic double-header that would be the first time Beijing has hosted the leaders of the US and Russia in the same month outside a multilateral event. According to Chinese analysts, the back-to-back visits highlight Beijing’s strategic effort to manage relations with both major powers amid rising global turbulence. Trump’s long-planned trip to Beijing was expected to take place from May 14 to 15, the White... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348148/what-does-it-mean-china-if-donald-trump-and-vladimir-putin-visit-back-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348148/what-does-it-mean-china-if-donald-trump-and-vladimir-putin-visit-back-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:00:10 +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 Amber Wang Amber Wang Japan’s structural reform of its maritime force reflects a shift towards quasi-carrier operations and preparations for a potential conflict with Beijing, according to Chinese analysts. The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) on Monday revamped its organisational structure to accelerate decision-making and improve ship operations, according to Kyodo News. The agency described the move as part of Japan’s efforts to strengthen defence amid China’s growing assertiveness. As part of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347889/should-china-be-worried-about-japans-maritime-force-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347889/should-china-be-worried-about-japans-maritime-force-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The official newspaper of the People’s Liberation Army has condemned Japan’s deployment of stand-off weapons, including upgraded Type-12 missiles, accusing it of creating a “kill network” capable of targeting both coastal and inland areas of neighbouring countries. The enhanced Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles are set to be deployed at Camp Kengun in Japan’s southwestern Kumamoto prefecture by the end of this month. On Tuesday, the PLA Daily reported that the upgraded Type-12 missile featured a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347707/china-slams-japans-kill-network-long-range-missile-deployment-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347707/china-slams-japans-kill-network-long-range-missile-deployment-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Potential US ground operations against Iran might constrain Tehran, but the prospects for reopening the Strait of Hormuz were “highly uncertain”, Chinese analysts said. They also cautioned that any such escalation was likely to result in heavy casualties, with one of them saying Iran “might even welcome” such close combat. US President Donald Trump on Monday announced a five-day halt to military strikes on Iranian power plants. He made the announcement on social media as the US’ 48-hour deadline... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347622/what-if-us-ground-forces-march-iran-chinese-experts-weigh-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347622/what-if-us-ground-forces-march-iran-chinese-experts-weigh-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:00:14 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Taiwan’s two main opposition parties are set to join forces in local elections, a midterm contest this autumn that analysts say could lay the groundwork for potential cooperation in the 2028 leadership race to challenge the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The elections, scheduled for November and commonly known as the “nine-in-one” elections, will determine local officials and councillors across nine categories, ranging from mayors and county magistrates to village chiefs, as well as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347357/taiwans-main-opposition-parties-join-forces-local-elections-foundation-2028-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347357/taiwans-main-opposition-parties-join-forces-local-elections-foundation-2028-race?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:14:46 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Iran’s missile and drone stockpiles will last another two or three months as US-Israeli strikes continue, while the US military is also depleting its interceptors, Chinese analysts have noted. However, how long the war lasts would depend less on stockpiles alone than on the effectiveness of new US deployments and President Donald Trump’s political calculus, one of them cautioned. Iran has continued its attacks on Israel and on US assets across the Middle East since the conflict was triggered on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347212/how-long-will-us-israel-war-iran-last-chinese-analysts-offer-clues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347212/how-long-will-us-israel-war-iran-last-chinese-analysts-offer-clues?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The People’s Liberation Army ramped up aircraft sorties near Taiwan over the weekend, ending two weeks of relative calm just as a defiant speech by Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te drew a strong rebuke from Beijing. From 6am on Saturday to 6am on Sunday, Taiwan detected 26 PLA aircraft sorties operating around the island. Sixteen of these entered the island’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ), according to data released by Taiwan’s defence ministry on Sunday. The 26 sorties marked a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346774/pla-ramps-taiwan-patrols-after-lull-beijing-slams-lais-independence-confession?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346774/pla-ramps-taiwan-patrols-after-lull-beijing-slams-lais-independence-confession?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:19:06 +0000 Alcott Wei,Amber Wang Alcott Wei,Amber Wang A new type of autonomous helicopter has been seen operating on the Type 075 amphibious assault ship, possibly improving the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) capabilities in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. Mainland state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday released a video explaining the operational capabilities of China’s Type 075 amphibious assault ship. It showed a lightweight uncrewed helicopter parked on the ship with folding rotors that appeared to be slightly smaller than the PLA’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346655/could-plas-new-shipborne-drone-redefine-naval-operations-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346655/could-plas-new-shipborne-drone-redefine-naval-operations-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Chinese and Vietnamese personnel will carry out a joint naval patrol and training exercise in the Gulf of Tonkin this week, extending a practice that has continued despite long-standing competing maritime claims. The joint manoeuvres will take place as part of the China-Vietnam Border Defence Friendship Exchange, which will include medical and cultural exchange events, China’s defence ministry said on Sunday. They will be conducted in waters off China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346656/joint-patrols-china-vietnam-steers-course-between-two-powers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346656/joint-patrols-china-vietnam-steers-course-between-two-powers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The United States has sent a military patrol aircraft through the Taiwan Strait weeks before the Xi-Trump summit, triggering People’s Liberation Army jet manoeuvres near Taiwan after several days of pause. A US Navy P-8A Poseidon transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace on Wednesday, the US Seventh Fleet said on Thursday. The passage through the waterway separating Taiwan and mainland China illustrated the US’ commitment to “a free and open Indo-Pacific”, Commander Matthew Comer, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346400/us-navy-patrols-taiwan-strait-xi-trump-summit-triggering-pla-manoeuvres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346400/us-navy-patrols-taiwan-strait-xi-trump-summit-triggering-pla-manoeuvres?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:15:10 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Iran’s retaliatory strikes on US military assets across the Middle East serve as a preview of how Beijing might target American bases in Asian countries in the event of a Taiwan Strait conflict, according to analysts. In retaliation for large-scale air attacks by the US and Israel since February 28, Iran has launched missiles and drones at Gulf states that host US military bases and facilities, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. Those targets included Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346258/how-irans-strikes-us-bases-could-offer-preview-asia-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346258/how-irans-strikes-us-bases-could-offer-preview-asia-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Amber Wang,Alcott Wei Amber Wang,Alcott Wei The Chinese defence minister has signalled strategic caution with his call for the country to “shape” a stable environment for Beijing’s broader political and diplomatic agenda, according to analysts. Dong Jun made the call on Friday during a group discussion involving military and armed police lawmakers at the country’s annual legislative gathering in Beijing. According to meeting minutes released to the media, Dong stressed four times in his fewer than 400-word remarks that the military’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346113/stability-comes-first-chinese-defence-chief-signals-beijings-strategic-caution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346113/stability-comes-first-chinese-defence-chief-signals-beijings-strategic-caution?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:00:32 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang China has earmarked a 7 per cent increase in defence spending this year, keeping the growth rate largely stable even as the White House aims to ramp up expenditure for the military. In a budget released on Thursday at the start of the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), Beijing said it would allocate 1.91 trillion yuan (US$277 billion) for defence. The 7 per cent is a shade down from the 7.2 per cent rise last year but still above the 4.5 to 5 per cent GDP growth target set... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345588/china-keeps-defence-budget-growth-steady-modernisation-deadline-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345588/china-keeps-defence-budget-growth-steady-modernisation-deadline-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Over six consecutive days since Friday, for the first time in at least three years, Beijing dispatched no warplanes near Taiwan, a pause which analysts say reflects deliberate caution ahead of this month’s Xi–Trump summit. The absence of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft near the self-ruled island from Friday through to Wednesday is the longest such pause in the past three years, according to Taiwanese defence ministry data compiled by the South China Morning Post. The number of PLA naval... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345527/looming-xi-trump-summit-behind-plas-break-air-sorties-near-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345527/looming-xi-trump-summit-behind-plas-break-air-sorties-near-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:07:44 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China and Iran may be strategic partners but, as was the case with America’s special operation in Venezuela in January, China has offered no security support to Iran over the US and Israeli attacks. The decision was based on a consideration of Beijing’s own interests, its ties with the US and other countries, and to minimise military and financial risks to China, according to analysts. Since the large-scale attacks against Iran began over the weekend, Beijing has limited its response to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345387/why-china-staying-sidelines-us-iran-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345387/why-china-staying-sidelines-us-iran-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Holly Chik,Jane Cai,Shi Jiangtao,Meredith Chen,Amber Wang Holly Chik,Jane Cai,Shi Jiangtao,Meredith Chen,Amber Wang This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. The US-Israel joint military campaign against Iran, now on day 3, has widened rapidly, with Iranian retaliatory missile and drone waves hitting Israel, American bases and Gulf states. Casualties include at least 555 people in Iran, four US service members killed, at least nine Israeli civilians dead, three in the United Arab Emirates and dozens in Lebanon.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345089/iran-strikes-day-3-markets-open-sharp-sell-futures-and-asian-shares?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345089/iran-strikes-day-3-markets-open-sharp-sell-futures-and-asian-shares?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 04:39:58 +0000 Amber Wang,Lawrence Chung Amber Wang,Lawrence Chung Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s rare reference to “mainland China” signals caution ahead of a highly anticipated Xi-Trump summit, according to analysts who say it is premature to declare a shift in his cross-strait policy. Addressing a group of Taiwanese businesspeople operating on the mainland on Tuesday, Lai used the term “mainland China” multiple times, contrasting with his frequent use of “China” in major speeches since his 2024 inauguration as the self-ruled island’s leader. During... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344765/what-does-taiwanese-leader-william-lais-rare-mainland-china-reference-mean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344765/what-does-taiwanese-leader-william-lais-rare-mainland-china-reference-mean?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 01:58:29 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang A Chinese private company has drawn the attention of security watchers after detailing US military deployments near Iran, a move experts say underlines Beijing’s intelligence abilities. MizarVision, a Chinese commercial intelligence analysis firm, has consistently published monitoring posts regarding American military movements on social media over the past two years. But it has attracted fresh attention in the past month with an increase in the frequency and granularity of its posts and by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344638/china-flexing-its-intelligence-muscle-tracking-us-military-moves-near-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344638/china-flexing-its-intelligence-muscle-tracking-us-military-moves-near-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang More Taiwanese are visiting mainland China but the numbers have yet to cross pre-Covid levels, data from the island’s tourism body shows. Taiwanese media attributed the slow recovery to continued cross-strait tensions and partial travel restrictions. According to Taiwan’s Tourism Administration, around 3.24 million Taiwanese visited the mainland last year, nearly 17 per cent more than in 2024. But this was still 20 per cent lower than the figure for 2019, the year before the coronavirus... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343588/taiwanese-visits-mainland-china-topped-3-million-2025-still-below-pre-covid-levels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343588/taiwanese-visits-mainland-china-topped-3-million-2025-still-below-pre-covid-levels?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 11:34:01 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang With jets forming complex formations overhead and displays on the ground of the world’s most advanced fighters, manufacturers from the US, China, South Korea and Turkey gathered in Riyadh to pursue deals of financial and strategic weight. China exhibited model J-10CE and J-35A fighter jets at the World Defence Show, along with Wing Loong and Rainbow series drones which have been making inroads into the Middle East. Analysts noted that while Chinese drones were continuing to attract buyers,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343272/chinas-middle-east-arms-edge-overshadowed-turkey-and-south-korea-riyadh-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343272/chinas-middle-east-arms-edge-overshadowed-turkey-and-south-korea-riyadh-show?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 06:00:15 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang At the Middle East’s largest defence exhibition, a Chinese state-owned shipbuilding giant is showcasing a new surface-to-subsurface delivery vehicle designed for frogman operations in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) is displaying a small model of the vehicle, named SDV-01, at the World Defence Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Running from Sunday to Thursday, the show features a substantial Chinese presence, including its naval weapons, which in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343069/china-lifts-veil-secretive-underwater-combat-vehicle-saudi-arabia-defence-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343069/china-lifts-veil-secretive-underwater-combat-vehicle-saudi-arabia-defence-show?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 10:00:32 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China has showcased a range of uncrewed platforms – including a drone for anti-submarine warfare – at the World Defence Show in Saudi Arabia, as demand grows in the region for autonomous systems. More than 770 exhibitors from 76 countries are taking part in the defence show in Riyadh, which opened on Sunday and runs until Thursday. China has one of the biggest pavilions at the show, and a full-scale model of the Wing Loong-X unmanned aerial vehicle is among the Chinese drones drawing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342898/chinese-drone-anti-submarine-warfare-among-systems-saudi-defence-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342898/chinese-drone-anti-submarine-warfare-among-systems-saudi-defence-show?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The People’s Liberation Army said it would redouble efforts to crack down on “fakery that undermines combat capability” and improve scrutiny of training and drills to tackle “deep-seated problems”. The pledge was made in an article in official newspaper PLA Daily on Tuesday outlining anti-corruption priorities for the year. It came soon after last month’s announcement that top general Zhang Youxia, first vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, was under investigation for corruption,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342631/chinas-military-vows-improve-scrutiny-training-after-fall-zhang-youxia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342631/chinas-military-vows-improve-scrutiny-training-after-fall-zhang-youxia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China on Tuesday urged the United States to “respond positively” to Russia’s offer to maintain nuclear warhead limits ahead of Thursday’s expected collapse of a major US-Russia agreement to control nuclear build-up. Beijing also reiterated its refusal to join trilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations with Washington and Moscow, despite repeated calls for such talks by US President Donald Trump. China cited the disparity in nuclear stockpile sizes as the reason for its refusal. Absent a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342278/why-collapse-last-us-russia-nuclear-treaty-matters-china-and-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342278/why-collapse-last-us-russia-nuclear-treaty-matters-china-and-world?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:41:16 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang In its latest efforts to reinforce the Communist Party line in China’s armed forces, the PLA Daily took aim at one particular invasive species: “big rats”. The rats were eating away at the PLA’s budget and undermining combat readiness, the military mouthpiece said, adding that they had to be eradicated. “[We] must take strong and forceful measures to crack down on corrupt practices that undermine the building of combat abilities, and thoroughly investigate and root out those ‘big rats’ who... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341985/was-general-zhang-youxia-one-big-rats-eating-chinas-military-budget?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341985/was-general-zhang-youxia-one-big-rats-eating-chinas-military-budget?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:00:19 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The Communist Party and the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan’s main opposition party, will revive a long-stalled dialogue channel next week to navigate cross-strait tensions and discuss plans to promote industrial cooperation. Beijing confirmed on Wednesday that the think tank forum would be held in the Chinese capital on February 3, according to an announcement by Zhang Han, a spokeswoman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO). The party-to-party channel, known unofficially as the Communist... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341569/communist-party-and-kmt-revive-forum-stalled-decade-cross-strait-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341569/communist-party-and-kmt-revive-forum-stalled-decade-cross-strait-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:21:11 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The PLA Navy hospital ship Silk Road Ark arrived at the Uruguayan port of Montevideo last Tuesday for a four-day technical stop. The port call, as reported by China’s state news agency Xinhua, marked the first visit by a Chinese naval vessel to Uruguay – which sits between South America’s two biggest economies, Brazil and Argentina. Analysts said the inaugural visit signalled that Beijing’s efforts to expand its military exchanges in the western hemisphere were unaffected by America’s military... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341146/what-does-chinas-first-naval-visit-uruguay-say-about-its-latin-american-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341146/what-does-chinas-first-naval-visit-uruguay-say-about-its-latin-american-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Mark Magnier,Amber Wang Mark Magnier,Amber Wang The United States will use strength – not confrontation – to deter China in the Indo-Pacific, the Defence Department said, laying out its national strategy to protect the “homeland”. The US would also push allies to spend more on their own defence, it said on Saturday in the 34-page document outlining the country’s security environment and approaches. According to the strategy, the goal after protecting the “homeland and hemisphere” is to deter China “from being able to dominate us or our... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3341099/us-defence-strategy-banks-strength-not-confrontation-deny-china-indo-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3341099/us-defence-strategy-banks-strength-not-confrontation-deny-china-indo-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 07:51:45 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The first confirmed deployment of a PLA drone within Taiwan’s claimed airspace is the latest example of Beijing’s “salami-slicing” strategy towards the self-ruled island, analysts say. One observer noted it was also meant to test, wear down and put pressure on Taiwan’s military. Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Saturday that a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) surveillance drone had entered its self-defined airspace – meaning the space above the 12-nautical-mile (22km) territorial sea baseline... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340877/what-beijings-drone-flight-over-pratas-island-means-its-taiwan-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340877/what-beijings-drone-flight-over-pratas-island-means-its-taiwan-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 04:00:15 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China’s H‑6J maritime strike bomber, equipped with two reconnaissance pods, indicates it has enhanced long-range strike capabilities while supporting peacetime maritime surveillance, according to military analysts. Cai Suliang, identified as a member of an unspecified People’s Liberation Army bomber formation, said that in its external appearance the H-6J, a recent variant of the H-6 bomber series in service for at least five years, differed from the H-6K primarily owing to additional... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340595/chinas-new-h-6j-maritime-strike-bomber-more-vision-more-range-more-roles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340595/chinas-new-h-6j-maritime-strike-bomber-more-vision-more-range-more-roles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 01:00:17 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang December was a record-breaking month and busier than ever for the Hainan, China’s first Type 075 amphibious assault ship and one of Beijing’s most important assets in the event of any potential military operation against Taiwan. The Yushen-class vessel, one of the world’s largest amphibious assault ships, made an appearance during the People’s Liberation Army’s large-scale military drills around the self-ruled island in late December. It was the first time a Type 075 took part in such... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340410/type-075-amphibious-assault-ship-plas-light-aircraft-carrier-key-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340410/type-075-amphibious-assault-ship-plas-light-aircraft-carrier-key-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:06:24 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Integrated space-air fighters featured in China’s Nantianmen science-fiction project represent the future of aerospace technology, and it is only a matter of time before they are realised, according to state media. The comments appeared on Friday in a programme on CCTV’s military channel that repositions the Nantianmen Project – a research initiative dating back to 2017 that focused on future air and space warfare – from a collection of fantasy concepts to attainable future tech. In the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339632/chinese-state-media-repositions-sci-fi-space-and-air-combat-aircraft-tech-target?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339632/chinese-state-media-repositions-sci-fi-space-and-air-combat-aircraft-tech-target?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 15:00:11 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The Communist Party and Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT) appear to be in the final stages of talks to revive an inter-party forum suspended nine years ago. The three-day forum, designed to facilitate party-to-party communication and promote cross-strait exchanges, was scheduled to start in Beijing on January 27, Taiwan’s China Times newspaper reported on Friday. If it takes place, it will be the first time the event has been held since 2016, when it was suspended because of tensions between the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339374/are-communist-party-and-kmt-reviving-cross-strait-political-channel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339374/are-communist-party-and-kmt-reviving-cross-strait-political-channel?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:01:08 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang A Chinese defence giant has flexed its production muscle early in the new year by releasing a video of its star product, the J-35 stealth fighter, and pledging to double its warplane production over the next three to five years. On Tuesday, a green-coated J-35 fighter roared down the runway at the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) airfield in China’s northern Liaoning province, making its first flight of the year, according to a video released by the manufacturer, a subsidiary of Aviation... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339315/chinas-j-35-jet-maker-flexes-production-muscle-pledging-double-output-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339315/chinas-j-35-jet-maker-flexes-production-muscle-pledging-double-output-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 10:00:35 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The US operation to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro serves as a reminder for China to bolster its air defences and counter-intelligence protections, observers say. Analysts in China described Venezuela’s air defences – which rely largely on Russian technology – as “full of flaws and slow to react” amid the modern surveillance, cyber, and electronic warfare displayed by US forces in Saturday’s operation in Caracas. The operation could serve as a further case study for China, which has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338912/venezuela-attack-seen-reminder-china-boost-air-defence-counter-intelligence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338912/venezuela-attack-seen-reminder-china-boost-air-defence-counter-intelligence?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The US capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro will be closely studied by Beijing, which has signalled its ability to target Taiwan’s leadership in the latest PLA exercises near the island, according to analysts. The operation – carried out on Saturday by the US Army’s elite Delta Force, the military’s top special missions unit – was described by Chinese analysts as a “textbook” strike with high precision and minimal casualties. “The planning and execution were highly refined,” said Fu... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338686/will-beijing-look-us-capture-venezuelas-maduro-lessons-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338686/will-beijing-look-us-capture-venezuelas-maduro-lessons-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 13:01:40 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Beijing on Friday imposed sanctions against 20 US defence firms and 10 industry executives in response to Washington’s massive arms sales package to Taiwan last week. Beijing’s foreign ministry said that these companies and executives had been sanctioned for their role in arming the island and pledged to continue with “resolute and forceful measures to steadfastly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”. “Anyone who attempts to cross the line and make provocations on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337818/beijing-sanctions-20-us-defence-firms-over-taiwan-arms-sales-package?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337818/beijing-sanctions-20-us-defence-firms-over-taiwan-arms-sales-package?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 09:23:21 +0000 Amber Wang,Seong Hyeon Choi,Yuanyue Dang Amber Wang,Seong Hyeon Choi,Yuanyue Dang US President Donald Trump’s new battleship plan, apparently aimed at deterring China, faces huge implementation hurdles and could cause Beijing to double down on its anti-ship weapons, according to analysts. Trump unveiled a new class of navy battleships on Monday. These “Trump-class” ships will be larger, faster and “100 times more powerful” than any previously built, according to the American leader, forming the centrepiece of what he called an expanded “Golden Fleet” aimed at cementing US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337739/golden-fleet-will-trumps-battleship-plan-deter-china-or-it-just-pipe-dream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337739/golden-fleet-will-trumps-battleship-plan-deter-china-or-it-just-pipe-dream?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 22:00:16 +0000 Amber Wang,Jun Mai Amber Wang,Jun Mai All eyes are on how Beijing’s “Chinese dream” of eventual Taiwan reunification will unfold at a time when the leader of the United States – Taipei’s top international backer – appears less likely to intervene in case of a cross-strait conflict. In the third of a three-part series, Amber Wang looks at how PLA activity may reflect the wider political picture. In the past five years, People’s Liberation Army activity near Taiwan has been seen by many observers as a key indicator of when and whether... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337616/why-has-beijing-turned-down-heat-taiwan-strait-second-half-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337616/why-has-beijing-turned-down-heat-taiwan-strait-second-half-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 22:00:11 +0000 Mark Magnier,Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang Mark Magnier,Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang A Pentagon report contends that China’s development of its aircraft carriers, sixth-generation fighters and nuclear arsenal illustrates Beijing’s “historic” growth in military power and has left the US “increasingly vulnerable”. The annual report, to be submitted to the US Congress, also stated that Washington was not pursuing a forceful strategy towards Beijing. “We do not seek to strangle, dominate or humiliate China … We seek only to deny the ability of any country in the Indo-Pacific to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337559/pentagon-says-chinas-historic-military-build-has-made-us-increasingly-vulnerable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337559/pentagon-says-chinas-historic-military-build-has-made-us-increasingly-vulnerable?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 02:21:37 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang All eyes are on how Beijing’s “Chinese dream” of eventual Taiwan reunification will unfold at a time when the leader of the United States – Taipei’s top international backer – appears less likely to intervene in case of a cross-strait conflict. In the second of a three-part series, Amber Wang looks at the challenges facing the new Kuomintang leader. There have been seven chairs of the Kuomintang, Taiwan’s main opposition party, since President Xi Jinping took the top job in Beijing in 2012. But... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337517/can-beijing-count-taiwans-kmt-advance-reunification-plans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337517/can-beijing-count-taiwans-kmt-advance-reunification-plans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 22:00:11 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang All eyes are on how Beijing’s “Chinese dream” of eventual Taiwan reunification will unfold at a time when the leader of the United States – Taipei’s top international backer – appears less likely to intervene in case of a cross-strait conflict. In the first of a three-part series, Amber Wang looks at how Beijing has increasingly focused on outlining post-unification governance visions while ramping up messaging to the island’s public. Orbiting high above the Earth, Jilin-1, a commercial... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337342/has-mainland-chinas-taiwan-policy-entered-new-phase?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337342/has-mainland-chinas-taiwan-policy-entered-new-phase?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:00:14 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China’s state broadcaster has given a rare glimpse of PLA war gaming, with footage of a simulated encounter between Chinese and French multi-role fighters. The tabletop exercise pitted Chinese J-16 fighters against French Rafales, a model reportedly bested by Chinese-made J-10C jets in a conflict between India and Pakistan earlier this year. The CCTV report on Friday said this year was the first year that the entire People’s Liberation Army and People’s Armed Police Force were promoting pilot... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337228/j-16s-vs-rafales-chinese-air-force-puts-jets-war-game-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337228/j-16s-vs-rafales-chinese-air-force-puts-jets-war-game-test?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:00:17 +0000