https://www.scmp.com/rss/524067/feed Fu Qianshao is a prominent Chinese military aviation analyst and former Air Force member, having served for decades as an aviation equipment expert. He is widely recognised for his commentary on China’s military aircraft development and use. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Liu Zhen Liu Zhen One crew member from a US fighter jet shot down over Iran has been rescued by US forces, multiple news outlets reported on Friday, citing two US officials, while a second crew member remains missing. A separate US aircraft was also hit near the Strait of Hormuz, though its pilot was rescued safely, according to the reports. Iran on Friday claimed to have shot down an American fighter jet, releasing photos of apparent wreckage of an F-15E, while the United States reportedly launched a... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349006/one-us-pilot-rescued-another-missing-after-iran-says-it-downed-fighter-jet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349006/one-us-pilot-rescued-another-missing-after-iran-says-it-downed-fighter-jet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:47:43 +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 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 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,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 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 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 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 Alex Lo Alex Lo US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth was in a belligerently high mood after the Pentagon’s successful operation to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in the dead of night. After all, the guy managed not to leak the US war plan in unsecure chat groups before the raid in Caracas, as he did with the US bombing of Houthi militias in Yemen in March. Remember that one? Maybe I have a warped sense of humour, but I still find this passage from the chief editor of the Atlantic,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3339141/us-raid-venezuela-lays-bare-its-law-jungle-approach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3339141/us-raid-venezuela-lays-bare-its-law-jungle-approach?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:30:11 +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 Sylvie Zhuang,Lawrence Chung Sylvie Zhuang,Lawrence Chung The latest People’s Liberation Army drills around Taiwan may have been testing how to wear down the island’s air defences using rockets that are “cheap enough to be used in large quantities”, military observers said. On Tuesday, the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command wrapped up a two-day live-fire exercise named Justice Mission 2025. The exercise surrounded large parts of the island and came less than a fortnight after the United States approved a US$11.1 billion weapons package for Taiwan – the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338335/was-plas-taiwan-drill-testing-inexpensive-ways-wear-down-islands-air-defence-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338335/was-plas-taiwan-drill-testing-inexpensive-ways-wear-down-islands-air-defence-system?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:00:09 +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 Amber Wang Amber Wang A recently leaked Pentagon report has projected heavy US losses should it intervene in a Taiwan conflict, highlighting Washington’s growing anxiety over Beijing’s rapidly improving capabilities, according to defence experts. In a classified assessment known as the Overmatch brief, the Pentagon has catalogued the People’s Liberation Army’s ability to destroy American fighter planes, large ships and satellites and identified the US military’s supply chain choke points, according to a December 8... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337188/pentagons-taiwan-war-games-reflect-us-anxiety-over-pla-power-defence-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3337188/pentagons-taiwan-war-games-reflect-us-anxiety-over-pla-power-defence-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2025 22:00:14 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang It has been a turbulent year for the fraught US-China relationship. In the third part of a series looking back at the events of 2025, we examine China’s growing military might and how it’s narrowing the tech gap with the US. US defence chief Pete Hegseth told a conference in Washington this month that America would maintain a “clear-eyed appreciation” of China’s “rapid, formidable and holistic” military build-up. That build-up is being watched globally, with defence experts in recent years... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336735/why-chinas-rapid-military-build-hardly-whole-story?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336735/why-chinas-rapid-military-build-hardly-whole-story?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 22:00:09 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Sylvie Zhuang Seong Hyeon Choi,Sylvie Zhuang The reported US seizure of a ship allegedly carrying Chinese-made dual-use components to Iran might signal Washington was “testing the waters” on reviving an old tactic to pressure Beijing’s ties with its adversaries, but such moves risked breaching international law, analysts said. An American special operations team boarded a ship from China bound for Iran in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka last month, The Wall Street Journal reported last Friday. Citing sources, it said the operation aimed to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336545/us-testing-waters-reported-seizure-chinese-cargo-bound-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336545/us-testing-waters-reported-seizure-chinese-cargo-bound-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 02:00:16 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang Beijing has blasted Japan’s missile deployment on an island only 110km (68 miles) away from Taiwan as “extremely dangerous”, saying it stokes regional tensions and military confrontation amid deteriorating ties between the two Asian powers. But Shinjiro Koizumi, Tokyo’s defence minister, believed the deployment on Yonaguni Island would “reduce the likelihood of any armed attack on Japan itself”, a Japanese defence ministry readout stated on Sunday. During an inspection visit to Yonaguni on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333963/beijing-blasts-japans-extremely-dangerous-missile-deployment-near-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333963/beijing-blasts-japans-extremely-dangerous-missile-deployment-near-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:26:07 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Beijing could step up military and coastguard activities near Japan if tensions escalate further following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s provocative remarks on Taiwan, according to analysts. “It cannot be ruled out that there will be new military activities near the Diaoyu Islands,” a government adviser said, referring to the disputed group of islands known as the Senkakus in Japan. The islands, located in the East China Sea, have long been a source of tension between the two... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333287/will-china-ramp-military-activity-near-japan-over-takaichis-comments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333287/will-china-ramp-military-activity-near-japan-over-takaichis-comments?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:00:11 +0000 Phoebe Zhang,Sylvie Zhuang Phoebe Zhang,Sylvie Zhuang China may have started nurturing the technical knowledge needed to operate the electromagnetic launch catapult on its newly commissioned carrier the Fujian at least eight years ago, according to open records that offer a glimpse into the long-term planning involved in military universities. Footage of Wednesday’s commissioning ceremony from state broadcaster CCTV showed President Xi Jinping speaking to a landing signals officer. When he asked her what she studied, she replied “electromagnetic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332371/how-were-chinese-navys-talents-trained-fujian-carriers-commissioning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332371/how-were-chinese-navys-talents-trained-fujian-carriers-commissioning?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 12:00:16 +0000 Alcott Wei,Sylvie Zhuang,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Sylvie Zhuang,Seong Hyeon Choi Now that the Chinese navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has entered service there could be a change in the power balance in the western Pacific, the South China Sea and even the Indian Ocean, according to experts. The Fujian – China’s third aircraft carrier – was commissioned last Wednesday in Sanya, Hainan province, in a grand ceremony overseen by President Xi Jinping, state media reported on Friday. It is the first Chinese warship equipped with an electromagnetic catapult... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332242/will-chinas-new-aircraft-carrier-tilt-power-balance-western-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332242/will-chinas-new-aircraft-carrier-tilt-power-balance-western-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 14:00:10 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Beijing has staged a rare high-profile display of its bombers during drills near Taiwan – a clear signal to potential external parties – ahead of an expected summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in South Korea this week. Several H-6K bombers – one of the most advanced variants of the People’s Liberation Army’s H-6 family – recently carried out simulated confrontation drills over air and sea areas surrounding Taiwan, according to a programme broadcast by state-run... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3330748/beijing-played-its-h-6k-bombers-drill-near-taiwan-who-was-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3330748/beijing-played-its-h-6k-bombers-drill-near-taiwan-who-was-it?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:00:14 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang Beijing will leave no room for any form of “Taiwan independence” separatist activities, one of Beijing’s most senior leaders said on Saturday, marking the 80th anniversary of the island’s return from Japanese rule. “We should work together to advance the cause of national reunification and must leave no room for any form of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities,” Wang Huning, Beijing’s No 4 official and top political adviser, said at an event to commemorate “Taiwan Restoration Day”. “[We]... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330323/beijings-wang-huning-takes-aim-taiwan-independence-restoration-day-address?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330323/beijings-wang-huning-takes-aim-taiwan-independence-restoration-day-address?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 12:48:15 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang New images of what appear to be one of China’s sixth-generation fighters point to rapid progress in the stealth programme and hint at multiple variants in parallel development, according to analysts. Clear side-view photos, which emerged on Chinese social media on September 25, show a tailless fighter on a runway. The aircraft’s appearance is consistent with the design of a sixth-generation fighter developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and sometimes referred to as the J-50. Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327511/new-look-chinas-sixth-gen-j-50-stealth-fighter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327511/new-look-chinas-sixth-gen-j-50-stealth-fighter?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 10:00:14 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Amber Wang Seong Hyeon Choi,Amber Wang China put its growing deterrence power on show in Beijing on Wednesday with a slew of new nuclear missiles for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), many of which could reach the United States. Among the weapons appearing in public for the first time was the Jing Lei-1, or JL-1, long-range air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM). ALBMs are typically launched from bombers and are considered to be a pillar of a nuclear triad – a three-pronged military force structure for delivering nuclear weapons... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3324235/china-flexes-deterrence-muscle-new-missile-line-military-parade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3324235/china-flexes-deterrence-muscle-new-missile-line-military-parade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 22:00:12 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang China is on a mission to turn its military into a modern fighting force. In the final article in this four-part series, we look at President Xi Jinping’s military goals and obstacles facing the People’s Liberation Army. The 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II is intended to display both the strength and solidarity of the People’s Liberation Army. But just two weeks before it is set to take place, Beijing announced that former navy chief of staff Li Hanjun – a veteran... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3323170/chinas-2027-pla-goal-victory-day-parade-puts-progress-and-challenges-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3323170/chinas-2027-pla-goal-victory-day-parade-puts-progress-and-challenges-show?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 22:00:09 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China is set to unveil a new-generation, lighter tank during next month’s military parade, designed to better survive drone strikes and be more suitable for potential Taiwan operations, according to a Chinese analyst. A new type of tank was recently spotted on Beijing’s streets during rehearsals for the massive parade on September 3, which will mark the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II. The vehicle appears to be a medium-weight tank, lighter than the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3323231/new-tank-shows-china-adapting-drone-era-battlefield-and-landing-operations-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3323231/new-tank-shows-china-adapting-drone-era-battlefield-and-landing-operations-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:00:09 +0000 Amber Wang,Sylvie Zhuang Amber Wang,Sylvie Zhuang China is on a mission to turn its military into a modern fighting force. In the third of this four-part series, we look at why drones are not replacing humans on the battlefield but ‘redefining roles’. Rapid advances in drone and robot technology in recent years are reshaping modern warfare. From robot dogs to hi-tech drones, top military powers like China and the United States have technology that could – in the not too distant future – play important roles on the battlefield, while humans stay... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3323036/why-china-and-us-still-invest-costly-crewed-military-systems-when-they-have-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3323036/why-china-and-us-still-invest-costly-crewed-military-systems-when-they-have-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2025 22:00:12 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China is on a mission to turn its military into a modern fighting force. In the second of this four-part series, we look at how its massive defence industry can support China’s military goals, and during wartime could be further bolstered by the civilian manufacturing sector. In the northeastern city of Shenyang, the future of China’s defence manufacturing capacity is rapidly taking shape – an enormous new aviation industrial complex that will eventually occupy an area about the size of 600... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322933/china-bets-military-industrial-might-outproduce-and-outlast-rivals-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322933/china-bets-military-industrial-might-outproduce-and-outlast-rivals-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 22:00:18 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang The US appears to be strengthening its allied deterrence against China by deploying its Dark Eagle hypersonic missile, a move that could “further intensify” regional rivalry, Chinese experts have warned. The United States Army Pacific, a service component for America’s Indo-Pacific Command, confirmed on the weekend that it had deployed a Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) system – commonly referred to as Dark Eagle – to Australia’s Northern Territory as part of the three-week Talisman Sabre... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320992/us-debuts-dark-eagle-hypersonic-australia-china-mind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320992/us-debuts-dark-eagle-hypersonic-australia-china-mind?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Aug 2025 01:30:12 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The US military has raised the difficulty level with a coordination test of its crewed fighters and “loyal wingman” drones as it races against China towards the next frontier of air dominance. Chinese military observers said the People’s Liberation Army was matching the United States in this technology. The Air Force Research Laboratory said earlier this month that pilots operating an F-16C Fighting Falcon and an F-15E Strike Eagle each controlled two XQ-58A Valkyrie drones in an air combat... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3317912/us-puts-jet-drone-teams-bigger-test-race-china-air-supremacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3317912/us-puts-jet-drone-teams-bigger-test-race-china-air-supremacy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 22:00:10 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang Israel’s unprecedented success in infiltrating Iranian intelligence has opened up a “Pandora’s box” of global security threats, Chinese observers have warned, while urging China to tighten all national security measures against any vulnerabilities. According to Chinese military analyst and former air force member Fu Qianshao, one striking feature of the Middle East conflict is the critical role played by Israeli intelligence agents embedded in Iran. Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency reportedly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3315940/china-warned-watch-security-threats-israeli-spies-iran-open-pandoras-box?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3315940/china-warned-watch-security-threats-israeli-spies-iran-open-pandoras-box?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 10:00:26 +0000 Enoch Wong Enoch Wong Strategic bombers remain “irreplaceable” for China’s military – even as it makes progress with sixth-generation fighters and long-range missiles – given their role in global strikes and nuclear deterrence, analysts say. They pointed to the American B-2 stealth bombers that hit Iran’s three nuclear sites on Saturday, dropping bunker-buster bombs directly over the facilities before returning unscathed. Seven of the B-2 bombers were flown nearly 27,000km (16,700 miles) – supported by more than 100... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3315793/us-strike-iran-highlights-chinas-need-strategic-bombers-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3315793/us-strike-iran-highlights-chinas-need-strategic-bombers-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:59:18 +0000 Amber Wang,Enoch Wong Amber Wang,Enoch Wong Chinese defence experts expressed scepticism about US President Donald Trump’s claim that air strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s biggest nuclear facilities, following reports that core components of Tehran’s nuclear assets remained intact. The mainland is believed to have the world’s most extensive underground bunker systems and has developed its own bunker-­busting weapons, with ambitions to target facilities including those deep within the mountains of Taiwan. CNN reported on Tuesday that an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3315830/did-us-strikes-wipe-out-irans-nuclear-facilities-chinese-military-experts-sceptical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3315830/did-us-strikes-wipe-out-irans-nuclear-facilities-chinese-military-experts-sceptical?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jun 2025 14:25:32 +0000