https://www.scmp.com/rss/522283/feed The Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS): A prominent Singapore-based research institute, IDSS is a key component of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang Technological University. Established in 1996, its primary mission is to conduct academic and policy-oriented research on defence, strategic, and security issues, particularly focusing on geopolitical developments in the Asia Pacific region. IDSS contributes significantly to understanding national... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Chao Kong Chao Kong Large passenger jets and advanced chips, BeiDou satellites and the Tiangong space station: these large-scale science and technology projects could be part of China’s efforts to mobilise resources nationwide to speed up the development of new weapons, according to a study by researchers with China’s top defence university. China’s military modernisation has accelerated at a pace that unsettles many analysts in Washington. In the past decade alone, Beijing has rolled out a sequence of major... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346364/how-china-beating-us-new-weapons-race-fraction-budget?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3346364/how-china-beating-us-new-weapons-race-fraction-budget?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen The South China Sea continues to act as a lightning rod for competing claims among regional powers. In the final of a three-part series, Fan Chen investigates how Beijing is responding to the wake-up call on what is needed to win the narrative battle. For previous articles, click here and here. A video shared by the Philippine coastguard gained wide attention in December. It showed a ship from its Chinese counterpart deploying water cannon towards a smaller vessel, but the footage was used to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343130/bully-vs-sovereignty-how-manila-and-beijing-are-sharpening-their-south-china-sea-messaging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343130/bully-vs-sovereignty-how-manila-and-beijing-are-sharpening-their-south-china-sea-messaging?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 22:00:07 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Across the strategic waterway of the South China Sea, claimant countries are increasingly relying on long-endurance aerial drones to carry out continuous patrols – overcoming the geographic and logistical limitations of traditional aircraft and ships. The US Marine Corps last month deployed MQ-9A Reaper drones to the Philippines, at Manila’s request, to “support Philippine regional maritime security through shared maritime domain awareness”, according the US Marine Corps Forces, Pacific. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334927/drones-are-rise-over-south-china-sea-shift-data-driven-strategies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334927/drones-are-rise-over-south-china-sea-shift-data-driven-strategies?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 02:00:10 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi China now has the largest naval fleet in the world, and its growing numbers of nuclear-powered submarines are an integral part of its efforts to project power beyond its coastal waters. But the view from Beijing is growing more complex as a handful of US allies in the Pacific also ramp up deployment of nuclear-powered subs. South Korea inched closer to attaining the technology on October 30 when US President Donald Trump said he had given the country approval to build a nuclear-powered... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3331891/us-pacific-allies-eye-nuclear-submarines-should-china-be-concerned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3331891/us-pacific-allies-eye-nuclear-submarines-should-china-be-concerned?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 22:00:24 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen More tension is expected in the South China Sea following a collision between two Chinese vessels, with analysts predicting the incident was likely to prompt Beijing to further increase its presence in the contested waterway. Experts also warned that the incident could push China to enhance coordination between its navy and coastguard to prevent similar accidents in future. On Monday, Manila claimed that a China Coast Guard vessel sustained severe damage to its bow after colliding with a larger... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321617/collision-between-chinese-ships-expected-escalate-tension-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321617/collision-between-chinese-ships-expected-escalate-tension-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 02:00:16 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Japan’s unprecedented proposal to transfer six Abukuma-class destroyer escorts to the Philippine Navy could greatly boost the Southeast Asian nation’s anti-submarine capabilities – but the true value of these ageing vessels remains to be seen. The Philippines has confirmed it is preparing to dispatch a team to Japan for a visual inspection of the six warships, which were set to be decommissioned, following an official invitation from Japan’s Ministry of Defence. “This planned inspection forms... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317464/japans-used-destroyers-game-changer-philippines-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317464/japans-used-destroyers-game-changer-philippines-security?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jul 2025 01:30:14 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar The decision by Indonesia and Malaysia to jointly develop the resource-rich Ambalat sea block signals a pragmatic step towards defusing a decades-old territorial stand-off, even as legal uncertainties over sovereignty remain unresolved. The agreement was announced last week during Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Indonesia, where he met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to discuss maritime and land border disputes, investment, and regional conflicts, among... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316660/ambalat-pact-indonesia-and-malaysia-seek-bridge-territorial-differences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316660/ambalat-pact-indonesia-and-malaysia-seek-bridge-territorial-differences?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 10:00:19 +0000