https://www.scmp.com/rss/523202/feed The latest news and top stories on the Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China. The ministry is dedicated to safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests. Its main areas of focus include diplomatic liaison for the Central Military Commission and People’s Liberation Army, managing defence attachés, and publishing military news. The Ministry, established in 1954, does not hold operational command over the military, which is instead controlled by the... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for China and Cambodia to “stand in closer solidarity, now more than ever” in the first 2+2 strategic dialogue aimed at deepening mutual political and security ties. During a meeting in Phnom Penh, Wang also urged the two sides to further strengthen political and security cooperation to “firmly hold the reins of development and security in their own hands”. The meeting on Wednesday was the first under the 2+2 mechanism with Cambodia involving defence and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351116/china-calls-cambodia-shared-security-and-risks-during-global-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351116/china-calls-cambodia-shared-security-and-risks-during-global-turmoil?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin The balance of power in the Russia-China relationship has evolved to the point that Beijing is now the dominant partner and the primary threat to the United States, according to US Congressman Pat Fallon. Speaking at the Hudson Institute during a discussion about the first year of US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, Fallon said while Russia and China have long had a strategic partnership, the world has now “seen that senior partnership shift”. “It was clearly the Soviets. Now it’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343120/beijing-dominant-partner-russia-china-relationship-us-congressman-fallon-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343120/beijing-dominant-partner-russia-china-relationship-us-congressman-fallon-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 23:37:40 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan China has accused the Philippines of “deliberately stoking maritime tensions” following reports Manila had warned it would stage military exercises across a large area of the disputed South China Sea for more than two months. The move represents the first external military challenge facing China after two senior generals were placed under investigation on suspicion of corruption, and could serve as a test of Beijing’s ability to handle such tests at a highly sensitive time. The Philippine civil... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341859/china-says-philippines-stoking-tensions-large-scale-scarborough-shoal-drill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341859/china-says-philippines-stoking-tensions-large-scale-scarborough-shoal-drill?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:00:15 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen An aerial video released by Beijing during this week’s military exercise and featuring the Taipei 101 landmark in Taiwan has ignited a debate on how close PLA drones came to the heart of Taipei. The black-and-white drone footage, released by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command on Monday, shows an ascending passenger plane flying past Taipei 101, the city’s tallest skyscraper. A still image showing a panoramic view of the tower and surrounding landscape, including the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338399/just-how-close-did-pla-drone-come-heart-taipei-during-drill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338399/just-how-close-did-pla-drone-come-heart-taipei-during-drill?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 22:00:38 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Beijing’s top anti-spy agency has warned the Chinese public about espionage being carried out in the country’s border areas under the guise of philanthropy. The Ministry of State Security announced on Tuesday that it had uncovered a case involving foreign spies operating near China’s military installations while posing as members of a charity organisation. In a case briefing posted on its social media platform, the ministry said villagers living near an unidentified restricted military zone... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3324857/foreign-agents-posing-charity-workers-study-chinese-military-facilities-ministry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3324857/foreign-agents-posing-charity-workers-study-chinese-military-facilities-ministry?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 08:05:04 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China’s navy conducted a “routine patrol” in the contested waters of the South China Sea as “deterrence” on the same day the PLA mounted a massive military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II. The patrol on Wednesday took place in the wake of Exercise Alon, the biggest-ever joint drill between Australia and the Philippines, which ran from August 15 to 29. A Canadian frigate also took part in the exercise, while several countries, including the United... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324368/while-chinas-military-was-parade-beijing-its-navy-patrolled-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324368/while-chinas-military-was-parade-beijing-its-navy-patrolled-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 11:09:47 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Beijing has accused the Philippines of “causing trouble” in the South China Sea while also suggesting the United States was to blame for fuelling tensions. On Thursday, Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesman for the Chinese defence ministry, criticised joint drills by the Philippines and Australia. “[Manila] has repeatedly courted influence from outside powers to make waves in this area, playing the role of an ass in a lion’s skin,” Zhang said, using a Chinese idiom to accuse it of “jeopardising regional... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323535/beijing-says-philippines-courts-outside-powers-and-causes-trouble-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323535/beijing-says-philippines-courts-outside-powers-and-causes-trouble-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 12:18:52 +0000 Enoch Wong Enoch Wong Tensions over Taiwan may heighten, Japan’s defence minister said on Tuesday as he presented an annual defence white paper that again singled out Beijing as Tokyo’s “greatest strategic challenge”. Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani named China in the opening paragraphs of the report, declaring Beijing’s military activities to be an “unprecedented” challenge that Japan must counter through national strength and alliances with partner countries. It was the third consecutive year that the report... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3318315/taiwan-tensions-may-heighten-beijing-boosts-military-activities-japan-defence-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3318315/taiwan-tensions-may-heighten-beijing-boosts-military-activities-japan-defence-report?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 10:43:41 +0000