https://www.scmp.com/rss/519211/feed Alcott Wei joined the Post to report on China in 2025, after working as an intern for the Beijing bureau in 2024 and has long had a keen interest in Chinese politics. He graduated from the Hong Kong Baptist University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and communication. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China has demanded that the European Union remove Chinese businesses and individuals from its latest sanctions list related to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Ministry of Commerce in Beijing also warned the bloc that it would take whatever measures were necessary to protect the rights and interests of its citizens and companies. “[We should] find a way to resolve our respective concerns through dialogue and consultation,” the ministry said, adding that the consequences of not lifting the sanctions... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351486/china-warns-eu-remove-firms-and-citizens-russian-sanctions-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351486/china-warns-eu-remove-firms-and-citizens-russian-sanctions-list?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 11:40:50 +0000 Alcott Wei,Xinlu Liang Alcott Wei,Xinlu Liang A senior Chinese official who oversees religious and ethnic minority affairs has called for China to “strengthen” the education, training and management of Tibetan Buddhist personnel. Li Ganjie, head of the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department and a member of the now 22-man Politburo, made the call during a trip to Tibetan areas in western China, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. He visited several religious organisations and study institutions in the Tibetan autonomous... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351181/china-must-strengthen-education-tibetan-buddhists-beijing-official-says-after-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351181/china-must-strengthen-education-tibetan-buddhists-beijing-official-says-after-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei PLA warships transited sensitive international waterways off southwestern Japan twice this week, a rare move seen as a clear warning to Tokyo over its recent actions relating to Taiwan. The transits marked the start and end of exercises in the western Pacific, outbound through the Yokoate Channel on Sunday and back via the Yonaguni-Iriomote Waterway on Wednesday. In a statement on Wednesday, the Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army said: “[We] have organised the 133rd Fleet to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351040/warning-over-taiwan-pla-warships-make-rare-transits-southwest-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351040/warning-over-taiwan-pla-warships-make-rare-transits-southwest-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:24:14 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The number of members from China’s leading scientific and engineering institutes in the top ranks of the Communist Party has doubled over the course of a decade, according to a new report. It said the number of academicians in the party’s 18th Central Committee, selected in 2012, stood at 15, accounting for around 3.5 per cent of the total membership. But when the 20th Central Committee started its five-year term in 2022, this total had risen to 30, around 8 per cent of the total, including... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350757/why-leading-chinese-scientists-are-rising-top-communist-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3350757/why-leading-chinese-scientists-are-rising-top-communist-party?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 03:00:07 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China criticised Japan for sending a warship through the Taiwan Strait on Friday, just days after Tokyo announced its troops would join a major US-Philippine military drill for the first time. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said the entry of a Japanese Self-Defence Force vessel into the strait was a “deliberate provocation.” He added that Beijing had lodged a “strong protest” with Tokyo. “The Chinese military has dealt with this incident in accordance with regulations,” Guo said. “[The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350499/china-slams-japan-sending-warship-through-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350499/china-slams-japan-sending-warship-through-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Alcott Wei Seong Hyeon Choi,Alcott Wei Japan’s most extensive participation to date in a counter-landing and missile defence exercise in the Philippines signals its “priorities” in deterring Beijing in a Taiwan contingency, according to analysts. Japan’s Joint Staff announced on Tuesday that its Self-Defence Forces (SDF) would deploy about 1,400 personnel, multiple warships and aircraft, as well as Type 88 anti-ship missile systems for the Balikatan exercise, an annual large-scale joint military drill between the Philippines and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350344/what-does-japans-role-us-philippine-military-drill-mean-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350344/what-does-japans-role-us-philippine-military-drill-mean-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Iran’s small vessels may be able to challenge US blockade operations, Chinese analysts suggest, despite the heavy losses suffered by the Iranian navy during the opening weeks of the US-Israeli offensive. The United States launched a naval blockade on Monday targeting Iranian maritime trade, after peace talks in Pakistan failed over the weekend. US Central Command (Centcom) issued a formal notice on Sunday announcing that its forces would block “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350198/can-irans-small-fast-attack-boats-challenge-us-navy-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350198/can-irans-small-fast-attack-boats-challenge-us-navy-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:01:22 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Japan is planning to replace some of its attack helicopters with multipurpose drones, prompting warnings from some Chinese media outlets and analysts that this could be seen as a hostile move. The country’s defence budget, which took effect on April 7 for this financial year, allocates 11.1 billion yen (US$70 million) for the procurement of five wide-area unmanned aerial vehicles. A further 280 billion yen was allocated for research and development into “unmanned asset defence... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350063/should-china-be-worried-japan-starts-replacing-helicopters-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350063/should-china-be-worried-japan-starts-replacing-helicopters-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:00:19 +0000 Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz might give it a strategic advantage over Iran, analysts said, but they warned that the increased pressure on Tehran might call the ceasefire into question and deepen the energy crisis. US Central Command said on Sunday that a blockade on ships “entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas” would take effect at 10am US Eastern Time on Monday along the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. It also said it would not impede vessels crossing the Strait of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349933/us-blockade-strait-hormuz-easy-enough-them-do-what-cost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349933/us-blockade-strait-hormuz-easy-enough-them-do-what-cost?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:28:05 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei In a historic meeting between Communist Party chief Xi Jinping and the head of Taiwan’s main opposition party, Beijing outlined a vision of peaceful relations with the island, shared development outcomes and greater dialogue. “Compatriots on both sides are both Chinese, and we need peace, we need development, we need communication and we need cooperation. This is a common wish,” Xi told Cheng Li-wun, head of the Kuomintang (KMT), on Friday, in the first such talks between the two parties’... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349597/xi-jinping-meets-taiwan-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349597/xi-jinping-meets-taiwan-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:03:54 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Taiwan can learn from the way mainland China uses artificial intelligence, Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun said during her visit to Shanghai. The Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman visited the headquarters of Meituan on Wednesday, where she was welcomed by founder and CEO Wang Xing. The company, which goes by Keeta outside the mainland, operates China’s biggest online takeaway platform, as well as offering grocery delivery, bike rental and other services. The company uses AI extensively to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349540/taiwan-should-learn-mainland-ai-kmt-head-cheng-li-wun-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349540/taiwan-should-learn-mainland-ai-kmt-head-cheng-li-wun-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:00:37 +0000 Lawrence Chung,Alcott Wei Lawrence Chung,Alcott Wei Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun said she hoped to make the Taiwan Strait “safe” and not one of the world’s “most dangerous places” as she left for Shanghai on Tuesday. Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng is leading a 14-member delegation – including three KMT vice-chairmen – on a six-day visit to mainland China. A planned meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping during the trip has drawn scrutiny in Taipei as tensions soar across the strait. Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349225/taiwanese-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-begins-journey-peace-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349225/taiwanese-opposition-leader-cheng-li-wun-begins-journey-peace-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:59:21 +0000 Jane Cai,Alcott Wei Jane Cai,Alcott Wei Beijing should shift its strategy and improve ways to attract and retain top Chinese AI professionals as America’s accelerating integration of artificial intelligence into military and national security systems puts such talent in a bind. As geopolitical tensions rise, many highly skilled Chinese researchers working at US tech and research institutions are confronting a painful dilemma, according to Dai Mingjie, a researcher at the Institute of Public Policy at the Guangzhou-based South China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349047/how-can-beijing-attract-top-tier-chinese-ai-professionals-based-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349047/how-can-beijing-attract-top-tier-chinese-ai-professionals-based-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:00:18 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Before autonomous driving freed up the hands of Beijing’s middle class, thousands of workers some 1,500km (930 miles) away in China’s southwestern Guizhou province clicked away at computer screens to teach AI about navigating traffic. In the mountainous city of Tongren, where incomes are less than half those in Beijing, the work of data labelling – marking residential buildings, pavements, roadways and traffic lights – shaped the artificial intelligence guiding those vehicles. The job required... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349038/what-next-struggling-rural-mothers-china-who-helped-build-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349038/what-next-struggling-rural-mothers-china-who-helped-build-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 22:00:21 +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 Alcott Wei,Fan Chen Alcott Wei,Fan Chen As the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its second month, another major shipping lane is at risk of closure but the chances of a prolonged conflict remain slim, according to Chinese analysts. The assessment came on Saturday as Iran-backed Houthi rebels joined the fray by firing missiles at Israel from Yemen. The Israeli military said it intercepted one of the projectiles. Chinese state news agency Xinhua quoted a Houthi source as saying the missile attack was meant “as a warning”. The Houthis... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348265/1-month-2-straits-more-strikes-how-long-will-us-israeli-war-iran-last?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348265/1-month-2-straits-more-strikes-how-long-will-us-israeli-war-iran-last?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:31:19 +0000 Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi The first known combat damage to an F-35 fifth-generation fighter aircraft from a likely Iranian attack suggests that stealth jets can be detected by electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor systems, according to Chinese analysts. US Central Command reported that the stealth fighter was forced to make an emergency landing during a combat mission over Iran on Thursday. “We are aware of reports that a US F-35 aircraft conducted an emergency landing at a regional US airbase after flying a combat... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347383/iran-detected-and-damaged-us-f-35-stealth-jet-combat-chinese-experts-map-out-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347383/iran-detected-and-damaged-us-f-35-stealth-jet-combat-chinese-experts-map-out-how?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:26:16 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei US air strikes may have weakened Iran’s ability to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, but in the short term it is probably too risky to provide a military escort for oil tankers because of the threat from drones and mines, according to Chinese analysts. Multiple media reports have said the United States was considering the use of ground troops to open the waterway, but many military observers have argued this would not be enough without further protracted fighting. The strait is a vital shipping... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347370/can-us-reopen-strait-hormuz-many-military-analysts-are-sceptical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347370/can-us-reopen-strait-hormuz-many-military-analysts-are-sceptical?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:00:56 +0000 Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Iran’s power structure, succession mechanism and geographic conditions are all factors in its military resilience, despite the decapitation of its leadership by the US and Israel, according to Chinese experts. They also said the United States was unlikely to achieve regime change in Iran without deploying ground forces, a lesson one expert argued Beijing would take into account for any operation on Taiwan. Beginning on February 28, the US and Israel have killed a string of senior Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347070/chinese-experts-assess-military-decapitation-iran-venezuela-lessons-closer-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347070/chinese-experts-assess-military-decapitation-iran-venezuela-lessons-closer-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 13:37:24 +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 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 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China is using AI to help its radars better detect low-altitude drones, according to a top Chinese military scientist who said drone swarm tactics – as used in the US’ ongoing attack on Iran – were an emerging challenge for radar systems. Xu Jin, a leading air-defence radar expert and a member of China’s top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, revealed the AI initiative in an interview with the South China Morning Post on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346493/china-announces-ai-boost-radar-drone-swarms-confound-detectors-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346493/china-announces-ai-boost-radar-drone-swarms-confound-detectors-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:01:31 +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 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei US land-based reconnaissance aircraft sorties over the South China Sea decreased by around 30 per cent month on month in February, according to a Beijing-based think tank, as the US deploys assets to the Middle East. The South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) said on Monday that only 72 US reconnaissance aircraft sorties were detected over the South China Sea in February. By contrast, 102 US reconnaissance aircraft sorties were observed over the waters in both January and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345278/us-patrol-flights-over-south-china-sea-drop-30-focus-shifts-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345278/us-patrol-flights-over-south-china-sea-drop-30-focus-shifts-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:00:27 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The joint US-Israel attack on Iran and Tehran’s own retaliatory strikes on a handful of cities in the region have showcased advanced weapons from both sides, some deployed for the first time. Tomahawk Land-Attack Missiles Footage released by the US military confirmed the use of the Tomahawk Land-Attack Missiles. According to the US Navy, the missiles were launched by Arleigh Burke-class destroyers on February 28, in the strikes against Iran. The Tomahawk cruise missile is a long-range missile... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345173/what-weapons-were-used-us-and-iran-strikes-and-which-are-also-deployed-near-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345173/what-weapons-were-used-us-and-iran-strikes-and-which-are-also-deployed-near-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:49:11 +0000 Alcott Wei,Jun Mai Alcott Wei,Jun Mai For a book on performance appraisals, it contained some surprising language – especially given its author, President Xi Jinping. The volume, published by the Central Party Literature Press, coincided with the launch of an overhaul of the Communist Party’s promotion system that will continue in the run-up to next year’s leadership transition. Among the raft of speeches and instructions from Xi since November 2012 is a blunt warning to cadres about pursuing debt-laden white elephant... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345015/inside-xi-jinpings-new-guide-promoting-communist-party-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345015/inside-xi-jinpings-new-guide-promoting-communist-party-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 10:00:27 +0000 Vanessa Cai,Laura Zhou,Josephine Ma,Alcott Wei,Dannie Peng Vanessa Cai,Laura Zhou,Josephine Ma,Alcott Wei,Dannie Peng Donald Trump called on the Iranian people to overthrow their government after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran early on Saturday in what the US president described as “major combat operations”. “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally … obliterated. We are going to annihilate their navy. We’re going to ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilise the region or the world and attack... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3344963/israel-launches-preemptive-strike-against-iran-saying-it-seeks-remove-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3344963/israel-launches-preemptive-strike-against-iran-saying-it-seeks-remove-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 06:46:02 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Communist Party cadres have been put on notice over governance and performance appraisals as the ruling body counts down to leadership changes across the country and the start of the next five-year plan. In a campaign that will continue until July, officials from the county level up have been told to correct any deviations from the “correct” line in their own duties and in assessments of those under their watch. In an article on Wednesday, state news agency Xinhua suggested that breaches of this... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344633/why-communist-party-warning-cadres-about-their-performance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344633/why-communist-party-warning-cadres-about-their-performance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:00:18 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei A Lunar New Year post from the Chinese coastguard on Wednesday provided a rare glimpse at how aerial drones have become essential to daily training and operations near a hotly contested South China Sea reef. The social media post was meant to show officers on the coastguard vessel Wanshan, or China Coast Guard 3301, guarding the disputed Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China, during the Lunar New Year holiday. But the details of their daily training revealed how aerial drones and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343934/chinese-coastguard-reveals-growing-reliance-drones-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343934/chinese-coastguard-reveals-growing-reliance-drones-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 13:15:51 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China’s navy still lacks the advanced underwater equipment and operational readiness needed to effectively conduct salvage operations in the event of a carrier-based aircraft crash, a military magazine tied to the country’s largest state-owned shipbuilder has warned. According to an analysis published this month, Beijing risks exposing sensitive military technology if a carrier-borne aircraft crashes and the PLA Navy fails to secure or salvage the wreckage before rival forces reach the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343620/why-chinese-navy-still-trails-us-high-stakes-game-underwater-aircraft-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343620/why-chinese-navy-still-trails-us-high-stakes-game-underwater-aircraft-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei One of China’s most anticipated Lunar New Year holiday films features a renowned director, a cast of stars and an unusual creative consultant: the country’s top counter-espionage agency. Scare Out, which will debut in cinemas in mainland China on February 17, is the first film directly supervised by the Ministry of State Security. The ministry said it provided technical guidance for the film and that the script was based on real cases. Directed by the multi-award-winning Zhang Yimou, the film... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343536/will-chinas-state-backed-holiday-thriller-spill-details-little-known-spy-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343536/will-chinas-state-backed-holiday-thriller-spill-details-little-known-spy-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 23:00:10 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China’s anti-corruption watchdogs have again put cadres on notice, ordering tighter discipline and greater scrutiny of Communist Party officials in the countdown to next year’s leadership reshuffle. Among the fresh warnings on Thursday was a caution against associating with “political swindlers”, people who fraudulently claim to have links to senior officials so they can peddle promotions for cash. The orders were issued jointly by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343527/beware-political-swindlers-chinas-cadres-warned-ahead-leadership-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343527/beware-political-swindlers-chinas-cadres-warned-ahead-leadership-change?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:10:31 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The PLA has been told to close the funding loopholes and tackle the deep flaws in combat readiness exposed by an anti-corruption drive in the aftermath of the downfall of China’s top general. In a brief Lunar New Year speech via video link to the People’s Liberation Army on Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the PLA to bolster combat training and maintain a state of combat readiness, according to state broadcaster CCTV. “The past year has been unusual and extraordinary. The PLA has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343348/make-every-penny-count-combat-chinas-military-told-countdown-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343348/make-every-penny-count-combat-chinas-military-told-countdown-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 03:00:16 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Beijing’s new hybrid-powered unmanned transport aircraft has completed its maiden flight, a development one analyst said could be a military “game changer” in the Taiwan Strait by helping supply elite frontline troops. On Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV described the CH YH-1000S as “the world’s first hybrid-powered unmanned transport aircraft” and said it had completed its maiden flight on Sunday at an airport in the southwestern city of Chongqing. “[The drone] carried a high-powered hybrid... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342435/could-chinas-first-hybrid-transport-drone-prove-game-changer-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342435/could-chinas-first-hybrid-transport-drone-prove-game-changer-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 04:02:44 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China has removed three senior defence industry executives, including a nuclear weapons expert, from the national legislature as part of a deepening anti-corruption campaign. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on Wednesday said it had expelled Liu Cangli, former president of the China Academy of Engineering Physics, Luo Qi, chief engineer of the China National Nuclear Corporation, and Zhou Xinmin, former chairman of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China. It did not say... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342411/china-expels-defence-industry-officials-legislature-amid-corruption-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342411/china-expels-defence-industry-officials-legislature-amid-corruption-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 13:49:39 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei An advanced stealth attack drone may have been photographed on the Chinese navy’s amphibious assault ship Sichuan, possibly marking another step towards the commissioning of the Type 076 naval vessel that is expected to play a key role in the Taiwan Strait. Photos circulating on Chinese social media since Saturday purportedly show the Sichuan leaving its home port in Shanghai. In one of the images, a carrier-based aircraft draped in green cloth can be seen resting on the deck. It is unknown when... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342208/has-chinas-gj-21-stealth-attack-drone-joined-sea-trials-type-076-sichuan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342208/has-chinas-gj-21-stealth-attack-drone-joined-sea-trials-type-076-sichuan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 02:00:39 +0000 Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi The first close-up image of the Chinese PL-17 long-range missile – one of the most mysterious weapons in the PLA Air Force’s arsenal – appears to have surfaced online. Analysts say the PL-17 may be the world’s longest-range air-to-air missile, posing a threat to US air superiority in the western Pacific. A photo believed to show the PL-17 has recently been making the rounds on Chinese social media. The date and location of the photo are unclear, although the angle of view is extremely close. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341883/has-chinas-pl-17-missile-likely-pacific-game-changer-finally-been-seen-close?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341883/has-chinas-pl-17-missile-likely-pacific-game-changer-finally-been-seen-close?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:00:15 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Beijing has released footage of flight tests of an upgraded J-20A stealth fighter, with signs that the jets have been equipped with long-awaited high-thrust WS-15 engines and better avionics. Chengdu Aircraft Corporation – the Aviation Industry Corporation of China subsidiary manufacturer of the J-20 stealth fighter – released new imagery and flight footage of its latest test aircraft on Saturday. According to a social media post by state news agency Xinhua on Wednesday, these aircraft are new... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341693/are-chinas-j-20a-stealth-fighters-now-updated-high-thrust-ws-15-engines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341693/are-chinas-j-20a-stealth-fighters-now-updated-high-thrust-ws-15-engines?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:12:13 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China should consider following the US’ lead by investing in low-cost guided munitions to counter future mass drone warfare, according to a Chinese military magazine. The suggestion surfaced in an article in Ordnance Science and Technology this month, which said the United States was finding it too expensive and unsustainable to use advanced munitions against Houthi drone harassment in the Red Sea and to support Ukraine against large-scale low-cost Russian air strikes. The article said that in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341534/china-urged-follow-us-lead-developing-low-cost-munitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341534/china-urged-follow-us-lead-developing-low-cost-munitions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Chinese state media have warned the Communist Party to be vigilant against officials who “do nothing but wait for a power transition” – a clear reference to next year’s national party congress. The China Organisation and Personnel News, affiliated with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, published a commentary on Friday titled “Preventing Officials from Sitting Around and Doing Nothing but Waiting for a Power Transition”. It cited a communique issued after the fifth plenary... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341249/china-warns-against-do-nothing-officials-ahead-2027-leadership-reshuffle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341249/china-warns-against-do-nothing-officials-ahead-2027-leadership-reshuffle?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:28:43 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei More than a dozen Filipino crew members rescued from the South China Sea have been transferred from the Chinese coastguard to Philippine vessels close to where their ship went down. The China Coast Guard said the transfer of the 15 survivors and the remains of two deceased from the capsized cargo ship took place on Sunday afternoon at the request of Philippine search and rescue authorities. Four other crew members from the ship remain missing. The Chinese coastguard rescued the men on Friday... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341168/filipino-crew-head-home-after-china-coast-guard-rescue-near-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341168/filipino-crew-head-home-after-china-coast-guard-rescue-near-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:32:48 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The People’s Liberation Army has released fresh details of its tests of AI-enabled drone swarm warfare, saying a single soldier can control a swarm of more than 200 drones. In a defence news programme aired on Tuesday, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV released details of a drone swarm test conducted by the PLA-affiliated National University of Defence Technology. Drone swarm warfare relies on artificial intelligence and data links to launch hundreds of drones in a short time. These drones could... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340972/1-soldier-200-drones-china-showcases-rapid-launch-and-agility-swarm-warfare-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340972/1-soldier-200-drones-china-showcases-rapid-launch-and-agility-swarm-warfare-tactics?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China could learn from Ukraine about using drones to launch modified small and micro aerial bombs, a leading Chinese weapons expert said. Cai Yi, chief scientist of China North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco), said in an interview earlier this month that aerial bomb strikes by Ukrainian drones provided “a valuable example for observing drone warfare”. China could draw inspiration from Ukraine’s experience in developing small drone-borne bombs, Cai added in the interview, which appeared in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340685/could-china-draw-battlefield-inspiration-ukraines-drone-borne-micro-bombs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340685/could-china-draw-battlefield-inspiration-ukraines-drone-borne-micro-bombs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 10:01:39 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The death toll from an explosion at a rare earth steel plant in north China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region has risen to nine. The explosion occurred at 3pm on Sunday at the Baotou Steel Group’s rare earth steel plant in Baotou, according to the city government. As of Tuesday, the accident has injured 84 people, killed nine and left one person missing, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The Ministry of Emergency Management sent a working group led by Vice-Minister Song Yuanming to the scene... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340592/death-toll-rises-9-after-explosion-north-china-rare-earth-steel-plant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3340592/death-toll-rises-9-after-explosion-north-china-rare-earth-steel-plant?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:40:53 +0000 Liu Zhen,Alcott Wei Liu Zhen,Alcott Wei China’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has significant design flaws that future carriers can overcome only by adopting nuclear power, according to a military magazine. The Fujian is the country’s first domestically designed aircraft carrier and was commissioned in November. With a displacement of over 80,000 tonnes, it is the world’s largest conventional warship and the first non-American ship to be equipped with advanced electromagnetic catapults. However, the most advanced US ships – the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340320/why-china-may-need-take-nuclear-option-its-next-aircraft-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340320/why-china-may-need-take-nuclear-option-its-next-aircraft-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Chinese state security authorities have warned of the risk of “honey traps” in the defence and technology sectors, saying that in one case a public official was blackmailed into surrendering state secrets following a trip abroad. In an article published on Wednesday, a social media account affiliated with the National Administration of State Secrets Protection said defence industry personnel were becoming targets of honey traps set by foreign intelligence agencies. According to the account... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340140/china-warns-honey-trap-risks-defence-sector-after-official-jailed-espionage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340140/china-warns-honey-trap-risks-defence-sector-after-official-jailed-espionage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 07:45:42 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The People’s Liberation Army has released footage of exercises countering swarms of suicide drones, a key element of Taiwan’s asymmetric defence strategy. Mainland state broadcaster CCTV showed a video on Sunday of a naval unit conducting anti-drone and uncrewed target drills as the PLA launched its 2026 training cycle. During the drills, the “blue force”, acting as the adversary, deployed multiple suicide drones to simulate ultra-low-altitude penetration strikes against maritime targets. In... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339041/pla-drills-target-swarms-suicide-drones-taiwans-front-line-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339041/pla-drills-target-swarms-suicide-drones-taiwans-front-line-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 14:00:11 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Alcott Wei,Oliver Balch Seong Hyeon Choi,Alcott Wei,Oliver Balch Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “patience” over North Korea’s nuclear programme, the South’s president, Lee Jae Myung, said on Wednesday. Speaking during a visit to Shanghai, Lee said he had asked Xi to act as a “mediator for peace” on the Korean peninsula, including on the nuclear issue. He said all channels between the North and South had been blocked and there was “zero trust” between the two sides. “President Xi noted the efforts until now and said patience is needed,” Lee said. He... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339046/chinese-president-xi-jinping-urges-seoul-be-patient-over-north-korean-nuclear-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339046/chinese-president-xi-jinping-urges-seoul-be-patient-over-north-korean-nuclear-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 09:01:11 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Beijing has added Taiwan’s interior minister and education minister to its sanctions list of “stubborn Taiwan independence figures” for behaviour it said undermined cross-strait relations and promoted Taiwan independence. Chen Binhua, spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), said on Wednesday that Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang and Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao had been designated as “stubborn Taiwan independence figures”. Liu and Cheng are cabinet members in William Lai... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339010/beijing-puts-two-more-serving-taiwanese-cabinet-ministers-sanctions-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339010/beijing-puts-two-more-serving-taiwanese-cabinet-ministers-sanctions-list?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:01:44 +0000