https://www.scmp.com/rss/525660/feed Albee was previously an English-language China reporter for AFP, New York Times, Reuters and AP. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Firefighters used military drones, heavy transport aircraft and seaplanes in a large-scale drill in southwest China on Monday, as part of efforts to bring the latest technologies into emergency response operations. The exercise involved more than 1,600 personnel and over 40 aircraft and simulated a major forest fire in a high-altitude mountainous region of Chongqing, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Aircraft in the drill included the Wing Loong II and Twin-Tailed Scorpion – both unmanned aerial... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3373864/china-uses-military-drones-heavy-lift-and-c909-planes-huge-forest-fire-drill https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3373864/china-uses-military-drones-heavy-lift-and-c909-planes-huge-forest-fire-drill Tue, 10 Nov 2026 01:59:32 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Chinese state media showcased several Dongfeng-series missiles on Thursday to mark a key anniversary, including the nuclear-capable DF-61 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and the rarely seen DF-100 long-range supersonic cruise missile. The coverage coincided with social media reports suggesting that the PLA Rocket Force might have conducted an inland ICBM test, potentially involving a ground-based mid-course missile interception, although neither activity has been officially... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3373567/china-puts-df-missiles-display-flight-bans-fuel-speculation-about-icbm-test https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3373567/china-puts-df-missiles-display-flight-bans-fuel-speculation-about-icbm-test Fri, 06 Nov 2026 10:18:32 +0000 Albee Zhang,Alcott Wei Albee Zhang,Alcott Wei Former Politburo member and Xinjiang Communist Party chief Ma Xingrui has been indicted on bribery charges dating back to the late 1990s, Chinese state media reported on Thursday. As one of the 24 members of one of the party’s innermost circles, the 67-year-old Ma is among the most senior Chinese officials investigated in the country’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign. He is also the fourth Politburo member to have faced corruption charges since President Xi Jinping came to power in late... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3373345/ex-politburo-member-ma-xingruis-corruption-charges-extend-end-last-century https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3373345/ex-politburo-member-ma-xingruis-corruption-charges-extend-end-last-century Thu, 05 Nov 2026 06:50:02 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Albee Zhang Khushboo Razdan,Albee Zhang In the weeks leading up to the midterm elections, US President Donald Trump displayed unwavering confidence in his star power, urging supporters to close their eyes and “pretend I’m on the ballot”. But Tuesday night’s disastrous results for the Republicans – the first time in 20 years both houses of Congress have changed hands at the same time – have punctured the aura of invincibility that once shielded Trump and allowed him to keep potential critics in line with the threat that opposing him... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373299/republicans-face-prospect-civil-war-trumps-air-invincibility-starts-fade https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373299/republicans-face-prospect-civil-war-trumps-air-invincibility-starts-fade Wed, 04 Nov 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Dewey Sim,Albee Zhang Dewey Sim,Albee Zhang Follow the SCMP’s live coverage here Beijing has vowed to continue working with Washington towards a “constructive relationship of strategic stability” following the Democrats’ sweeping victory in the US midterm elections on Wednesday. But analysts said a Democratic-controlled US Congress would ramp up pressure on Beijing over Taiwan, artificial intelligence (AI) and export controls, though it might also eliminate uncertainties in negotiations. When asked by reporters about the results on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373232/democratic-led-us-congress-turn-heat-beijing-over-ai-taiwan-analyst https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373232/democratic-led-us-congress-turn-heat-beijing-over-ai-taiwan-analyst Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:49:33 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China is helping to train Solomon Islands police to use water cannons as part of an ongoing security partnership that is viewed with scepticism by the West. The Chinese embassy said on Tuesday that six officers from the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force took part in a week-long training exercise, without giving dates. The programme helped familiarise officers with the use of crowd control vehicles and different scenarios in which they may be used, the embassy said. The programme cultivated a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373153/china-training-solomon-islands-police-use-water-cannons-under-security-pact https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3373153/china-training-solomon-islands-police-use-water-cannons-under-security-pact Wed, 04 Nov 2026 00:00:19 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang A People’s Liberation Army air defence unit has for the first time intercepted two new types of missile simultaneously during a drill – including one that made a sudden change of direction, according to state television. The CCTV report on Monday said it was a rapid response operation by the ground-based Shenwei Missile Battalion – under the PLA Central Theatre Command Air Force – which is equipped with Hongqing surface-to-air missiles. It did not disclose the type of missiles intercepted or any... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3373094/chinas-hq-series-intercepts-2-new-missile-types-pla-tests-weapon-platform https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3373094/chinas-hq-series-intercepts-2-new-missile-types-pla-tests-weapon-platform Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang When Zhuhai hosted its inaugural air show in November 1996, the event showcased the J-8IIM fighter, a second-generation fighter equipped with Russian radar and weapons, alongside a limited line-up of home-made aircraft. Imported planes were the focus and Chinese audiences curiously studied the much more advanced foreign designs. They crowded around two Russian fourth-generation Su-27 fighters and were wowed as the jets performed their famous cobra manoeuvre, sharply braking in mid-air. At the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372822/how-zhuhai-air-show-charted-chinas-path-catching-flying-high https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372822/how-zhuhai-air-show-charted-chinas-path-catching-flying-high Sat, 31 Oct 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Beijing and Washington have been urged to foster a new generation of talent to bridge gaps between the countries and strengthen people-to-people exchanges amid growing frictions and concerns about a lack of China expertise in the US. Academics and experts from the two countries gathered in Shanghai on Friday at the China-US Intergenerational Dialogue 2026. They were seeking a new crop of “bridge builders” like Henry Kissinger, the former US secretary of state who helped to engineer the historic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372823/kissinger-moment-over-us-and-china-urged-foster-new-bridge-builders https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372823/kissinger-moment-over-us-and-china-urged-foster-new-bridge-builders Sat, 31 Oct 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is distributing second-hand briefcases, salvaging screws and steel bars, and reusing holiday decorations to keep costs down as part of a thrift campaign emphasising growth through frugality. It forms part of a broader cost-cutting effort in the Chinese military under Beijing’s 15th five-year plan covering 2026 to 2030, which calls for building the armed forces through “diligence and thrift” and pursuing a path of “high efficiency, low cost and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372552/inside-plas-new-austerity-drive-lean-mean-printing-both-sides-machine https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372552/inside-plas-new-austerity-drive-lean-mean-printing-both-sides-machine Fri, 30 Oct 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier strike group sailed beyond the first island chain last week to reach the southernmost waters of the Philippines, suggesting an intent to position itself closer to ongoing US-Japan joint exercises. Philippine news channel BNC reported that the carrier group reached about 25 nautical miles (46km) east-southeast of Balut Island, the southernmost point of the Philippines, before sailing northeast on Friday. That positioned the warships past the first island chain, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372078/chinas-liaoning-aircraft-carrier-and-uss-theodore-roosevelt-converge-philippine-sea https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3372078/chinas-liaoning-aircraft-carrier-and-uss-theodore-roosevelt-converge-philippine-sea Sun, 25 Oct 2026 12:13:45 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China on Tuesday accused a US naval vessel of undermining regional stability by entering waters near the South China Sea’s disputed Spratly Islands. Early on Tuesday morning, the USS Charleston “illegally intruded” into the waters around Sabina Shoal “without approval”, said Yin Gang, spokesman for the People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theatre Command Navy. The Chinese navy monitored and followed the Charleston, Yin said. China holds “indisputable sovereignty” over the Spratly Islands and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3371517/pla-navy-followed-us-vessel-patrol-south-china-sea-hotspot-beijing-says https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3371517/pla-navy-followed-us-vessel-patrol-south-china-sea-hotspot-beijing-says Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:10:43 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang The PLA Navy’s Liaoning aircraft carrier has started its second drill series in the western Pacific this year, with the training likely to coincide with an expanded US-Japan military exercise that could have implications for a Taiwan contingency. The Liaoning carrier group was carrying out the drill in “relevant waters” of the western Pacific Ocean as part of the navy’s annual training plan, China’s defence ministry said on Wednesday. While it did not disclose the exact location of the drill,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3370859/chinas-liaoning-carrier-heads-pacific-us-japan-prepare-missile-drills https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3370859/chinas-liaoning-carrier-heads-pacific-us-japan-prepare-missile-drills Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang For nearly five decades, the United States’ Taiwan policy has centred on strategic ambiguity by not declaring whether it would intervene militarily in a potential Taiwan conflict. This policy – designed to deter Beijing from using force while preventing Taipei from formally declaring independence – is being challenged by realist US strategists amid a broader debate over America’s role in the world, growing constraints on US military might and a shifting regional balance of power driven by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3370765/best-time-us-strategists-push-abandoning-ambiguity-taiwan https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3370765/best-time-us-strategists-push-abandoning-ambiguity-taiwan Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:06 +0000 Albee Zhang,Josephine Ma Albee Zhang,Josephine Ma Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States was crucial to maintaining the overall stability of China-US relations and aimed at putting the relationship on an equal footing. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who accompanied Xi on the three-day trip to Washington, gave the assessment on Saturday, expanding on relations between the two countries. According to state news agency Xinhua, Wang said Xi’s visit “maintained the overall stability of Sino-US relations” and “will have a deep... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368884/xi-trump-summit-china-and-us-open-super-intelligence-communications-channel https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368884/xi-trump-summit-china-and-us-open-super-intelligence-communications-channel Sat, 26 Sep 2026 04:49:50 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang At Joint Base Andrews where Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for the visiting Chinese president, Xi Jinping appeared unfazed during a ceremonial flyover by a screeching US bomber while the US president visibly winced at the noise. As Xi arrived at the military base just outside Washington, he was greeted with a ceremony that included the US Air Force band playing the American and Chinese national anthems, a 21-gun salute, a guard of honour, a display of six F-16 and six F-22 fighter jets,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3368621/xi-maintains-composure-during-us-military-flyover-historic-tarmac-welcome https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3368621/xi-maintains-composure-during-us-military-flyover-historic-tarmac-welcome Thu, 24 Sep 2026 07:43:39 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Tesla CEO Elon Musk described Chinese President Xi Jinping as “a great leader” and “very capable” during an interview with China’s state broadcaster on Wednesday, just hours before Xi left China for a summit with US President Donald Trump. “He seems like a great leader. Under his tenure, China has prospered immensely. I’ve seen it first hand,” Musk said in one of a series of videos posted on CCTV’s social media account. “And it’s also obvious to see just walking around the streets, the …... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3368524/elon-musk-hails-xi-jinpings-leadership-and-chinese-ai-capabilities-state-media https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3368524/elon-musk-hails-xi-jinpings-leadership-and-chinese-ai-capabilities-state-media Wed, 23 Sep 2026 10:04:41 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang The expulsion of two former leaders from the Chinese armed forces and Communist Party “eliminated a major hidden political danger”, China’s military mouthpiece said on Wednesday. The party expelled Zhang Youxia, former vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and fellow former CMC member Liu Zhenli for factionalism and disloyalty, state media reported on Monday. The CMC is the country’s top military authority and is chaired by President Xi Jinping. “The serious investigation and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3368484/pla-chiefs-downfall-eliminated-political-danger-military-mouthpiece-says https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3368484/pla-chiefs-downfall-eliminated-political-danger-military-mouthpiece-says Wed, 23 Sep 2026 08:01:05 +0000 Albee Zhang,Alcott Wei Albee Zhang,Alcott Wei US President Donald Trump has unveiled a new “AI Force” just days ahead of a state visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, in a potential escalation of the high-stakes technology race between the rival powers. Experts said the proposed AI Force – whose exact structure remains unclear – could give Beijing a clear counterpart for AI safety talks, but warned it risked becoming an instrument of further technological containment and export controls targeting China. In a social media post on Saturday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368158/does-trumps-new-ai-force-signal-tech-race-escalation-ahead-xi-jinping-summit https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368158/does-trumps-new-ai-force-signal-tech-race-escalation-ahead-xi-jinping-summit Sun, 20 Sep 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang The US deployment of space weapons has shattered a long-held taboo and risks igniting a fresh arms race, with the world at a “breaking point in history”, speakers at a major security conference in Beijing have warned. Experts at the Xiangshan Forum this week also called for US-China dialogue on space security, just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping makes his first state visit to the US in more than a decade. US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink – the civilian head of the department that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3368097/us-space-weapons-move-has-broken-taboo-could-spark-new-arms-race-beijing-forum-told https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3368097/us-space-weapons-move-has-broken-taboo-could-spark-new-arms-race-beijing-forum-told Sat, 19 Sep 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Albee Zhang,Amber Wang,Alcott Wei Albee Zhang,Amber Wang,Alcott Wei Chinese panellists and experts at the Xiangshan Forum have warned against Japan’s remilitarisation amid reports that Tokyo is considering raising its midterm defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP. Japan might raise its midterm budget to 3-3.5 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product in line with Nato and other US allies, Bloomberg reported earlier this week, as the US pushes its allies in Asia and Europe to boost their own defences. At the three-day defence gathering in Beijing on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3367883/warning-against-japans-military-build-surfaces-beijing-xiangshan-conference https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3367883/warning-against-japans-military-build-surfaces-beijing-xiangshan-conference Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:10:43 +0000 Amber Wang,Alcott Wei,Albee Zhang Amber Wang,Alcott Wei,Albee Zhang A plenary session at a Beijing security conference turned into a heated exchange on Wednesday, when a senior Iranian defence official and a Saudi think tank chief clashed over the conflict in the Middle East. In the city where just a few years ago Iran and Saudi Arabia signed a peace deal, Prince Turki al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi think tank the King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies, accused Iran of not respecting “the sovereignty of the Arab states”. In a clear reference to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367758/iranian-and-saudi-panellists-spar-xiangshan-forum-over-middle-east-attacks https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367758/iranian-and-saudi-panellists-spar-xiangshan-forum-over-middle-east-attacks Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:53:03 +0000 Dewey Sim,Amber Wang,Alcott Wei,Albee Zhang Dewey Sim,Amber Wang,Alcott Wei,Albee Zhang With just a week to go until Chinese President Xi Jinping heads to Washington for his first state visit in more than a decade, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun opted for the diplomatic path in his address to China’s premier security conference on Wednesday. Speaking at the annual Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, Dong took veiled swipes at Washington and its allies but – unlike last year – appeared to pull his punches, skipping mentions of contentious issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea. He... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3367735/chinese-defence-chief-skirts-flashpoints-xiangshan-forum-ahead-xi-trump-summit https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3367735/chinese-defence-chief-skirts-flashpoints-xiangshan-forum-ahead-xi-trump-summit Wed, 16 Sep 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Amber Wang,Albee Zhang Amber Wang,Albee Zhang China should strengthen its maritime militia to be an extra force to collect information and maintain a regular presence in the South China Sea, where it is coming into frequent conflict with the Philippines. That was the suggestion Wu Shicun, the founding president of China’s National Institute for South China Sea Studies, made on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, an annual defence gathering in the capital attended by security officials and researchers from nearly 100... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3367678/should-china-use-its-maritime-militia-backup-force-south-china-sea https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3367678/should-china-use-its-maritime-militia-backup-force-south-china-sea Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Alcott Wei,Amber Wang,Albee Zhang Alcott Wei,Amber Wang,Albee Zhang A lack of mutual trust and confidence haunts Sino-US relations, a major security conference in Beijing has heard, just a week before Xi Jinping travels to America for his first state visit there in over a decade. “[While] we have the agreement on this constructive strategic stability, we don’t have the illusion that things will be easy going ahead. There are always problems, sometimes very big problems,” said Cui Tiankai, a former Chinese ambassador to Washington, at a panel of the Xiangshan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3367630/us-china-ties-haunted-lack-mutual-trust-beijing-security-forum-hears https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3367630/us-china-ties-haunted-lack-mutual-trust-beijing-security-forum-hears Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:21:08 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang If mastering drone-swarm technology were not difficult enough, China is now tackling the more complex task of integrating uncrewed land, sea and air platforms, according to the country’s leading developer in the field. In an article posted on China Electronics Technology Group Corporation’s (CETC) social media account on Sunday, the company’s Intelligent Technology Research Institute said drone-swarm technology was not merely “many drones flying together”, but an intelligent, distributed combat... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3366915/merging-air-land-and-sea-swarms-next-frontier-chinas-drone-technology https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3366915/merging-air-land-and-sea-swarms-next-frontier-chinas-drone-technology Wed, 09 Sep 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Fresh off a joint air drill, China will for the first time showcase several PLA Air Force aircraft overseas at an air show this week. The featured aircraft were selected for the air show in Egypt to demonstrate the air force’s integrated combat abilities and export potential, according to a military analyst. China’s armed forces on Tuesday posted pictures of Z-20, J-16, YY-20, and KJ-500 with its social media postings about the El Alamein International Airshow. The PLA Air Force said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3366666/chinese-pla-aircraft-headline-egypt-air-show-display-export-potential https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3366666/chinese-pla-aircraft-headline-egypt-air-show-display-export-potential Tue, 08 Sep 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang The West African country of Burkina Faso has tested what observers say is a Chinese Sky Dragon 30 surface-to-air missile, in the latest sign that Chinese military equipment manufacturers are making inroads into the central Sahel state. In footage released by the Burkinabe president’s office on Tuesday, multiple missiles were fired from a mobile launch vehicle. A matching search radar vehicle also appeared in the video. The footage is part of a documentary series marking the fourth anniversary in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3366379/burkina-faso-sky-dragon-30-missiles-point-chinas-military-export-inroads https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3366379/burkina-faso-sky-dragon-30-missiles-point-chinas-military-export-inroads Fri, 04 Sep 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China and the US have ended a two-year break in command-level contact with a meeting in Canada between the top PLA officer overseeing the Taiwan Strait and his US Pacific counterpart. Chinese General Yang Zhibin, commander of the Eastern Theatre Command, and US Admiral Samuel Paparo met for the first time at the Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence Conference in Victoria, British Columbia, on Monday. The US command said on Friday that Yang and Paparo discussed the importance of maintaining open lines... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3366413/china-us-military-commanders-snap-2-year-break-talks-canada https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3366413/china-us-military-commanders-snap-2-year-break-talks-canada Fri, 04 Sep 2026 11:30:06 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China has made the first amendment in 16 years to its national defence mobilisation law to include a fresh focus on new technologies – a move experts said would cover AI and drones. Analysts said the inclusion would make it possible to rapidly convert emerging infrastructure, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and unmanned systems, into defence capabilities. The revised law, passed by the top legislature on Friday, says that “the state promotes the application of advanced technologies in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3365993/china-highlights-advanced-wartime-tech-defence-mobilisation-law-update https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3365993/china-highlights-advanced-wartime-tech-defence-mobilisation-law-update Tue, 01 Sep 2026 10:06:31 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s GJ-21 large stealth attack drone has been spotted on flight tests this month, as the country’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship – the vessel that will launch the drone – enters its final sea trials. The GJ-21, the naval variant of the GJ-11 stealth attack drone, first appeared at China’s Victory Day parade in September last year and has made rare public appearances since then. Computer-generated footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV in July showed how it would be launched from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3365654/china-tests-gj-21-stealth-drone-sichuan-type-076-warship-carries-out-sea-trials https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3365654/china-tests-gj-21-stealth-drone-sichuan-type-076-warship-carries-out-sea-trials Sat, 29 Aug 2026 04:00:16 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Bangladesh has for the first time confirmed a long-expected deal to buy Chinese 4.5-generation J-10CE fighters, pointing to the jet’s combat performance against Rafale jets in last year’s India-Pakistan conflict. One military expert said it was a sign that the global perception of Chinese weapons was shifting and the market would gradually open. Zahed Ur Rahman, information and broadcasting adviser to the prime minister of Bangladesh, said on Tuesday that a draft proposal to buy the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3365553/bangladesh-confirms-chinese-j-10ce-jet-deal-citing-rafale-kill-india-pakistan-clash https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3365553/bangladesh-confirms-chinese-j-10ce-jet-deal-citing-rafale-kill-india-pakistan-clash Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:00:12 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China has tested a new variant of the YJ-18A anti-ship cruise missile bearing a black stealth coating, according to specialists who say the advanced finish on the ship-launched missile will improve its penetration ability. The coating was highlighted in footage released by state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday, which showed an extreme-performance test of a new type of anti-ship missile fired from a navy ship’s vertical launch system in unknown waters. China’s most active-duty shipborne missiles are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3365317/chinese-navy-fires-new-radar-absorbing-yj-18a-anti-ship-missile-sea-trial-expert https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3365317/chinese-navy-fires-new-radar-absorbing-yj-18a-anti-ship-missile-sea-trial-expert Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:04:33 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez,Albee Zhang Gabriel Dominguez,Albee Zhang Mainland Chinese government vessel sightings around Taiwan have reached record levels for a third straight month, as Beijing expands its law enforcement footprint east of the island following the announcement in late May of Tokyo-Manila maritime boundary talks over the area. Taiwan’s defence ministry said that in the first 24 days of August it detected mainland coastguard, survey and other official vessels a total of 118 times, surpassing the 117 reported in July and 111 in June. Those numbers... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3365081/mainland-chinas-ship-activity-near-taiwan-hits-record-third-month-row https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3365081/mainland-chinas-ship-activity-near-taiwan-hits-record-third-month-row Mon, 24 Aug 2026 15:00:07 +0000 Albee Zhang,Gabriel Dominguez Albee Zhang,Gabriel Dominguez A pair of landmark rocket recoveries in recent weeks has brought China a step closer to mastering reusable launch technology – a breakthrough analysts said could give the People’s Liberation Army an advantage in combat by increasing the resilience of its satellite-supported “kill chain”, the process of identifying, tracking and engaging a target. In a first for China, commercial rocket company LandSpace recovered a stainless-steel booster using deployable legs after an orbital flight earlier... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3364878/why-chinas-reusable-rocket-breakthrough-matters-plas-kill-chain https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3364878/why-chinas-reusable-rocket-breakthrough-matters-plas-kill-chain Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:12:24 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang A US guided-missile destroyer that was adrift in the South China Sea without power last month is a sign that America is taxing its reserve capacity as its operation against Iran drags on, according to an analyst. “This is an extremely unusual occurrence and a variety of equipment and process failures would have to have taken place,” said Brad Martin, a former US Navy captain who is now a senior policy researcher at Washington-based think tank the Rand Corporation. “Failures such as this are a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3364528/south-china-sea-warship-breakdown-sign-us-taxing-reserve-capacity https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3364528/south-china-sea-warship-breakdown-sign-us-taxing-reserve-capacity Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:00:13 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Since Chinese container ships began plying the Northern Sea Route three years ago, the Arctic shipping lane has gained global importance. Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea later that year disrupted traffic through the Suez Canal – the fastest route between Europe and Asia – in what was the most serious conflict-driven disruption since the Arab-Israeli war nearly six decades earlier. The 5,600km (3,480-mile) Northern Sea Route spans Russia’s Arctic coast, from the Barents Sea to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3364278/why-arctic-sea-route-has-become-so-important-china-and-russia https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3364278/why-arctic-sea-route-has-become-so-important-china-and-russia Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Vladimir Putin’s unprecedented visit to the disputed southern Kuril Islands signals a broader joint effort by Moscow and Beijing to pressure Japan, according to analysts. They said the coordinated push aimed to target Tokyo over a range of friction points, including Western sanctions on Russia and Japan’s stance on Taiwan. The Russian president paid a symbolic visit to the Kurils – a volcanic chain north of Hokkaido that Japan calls the Northern Territories – on Thursday, just ahead of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3364100/what-does-first-visit-kuril-islands-vladimir-putin-mean-china https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3364100/what-does-first-visit-kuril-islands-vladimir-putin-mean-china Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:42:55 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China appears to be adding capacity to the vertical launch system (VLS) of its most advanced guided-missile frigate Type 054B under construction in Shanghai, satellite images show, allowing it to have a larger missile reserve and stronger anti-air defence capabilities. According to satellite images taken by US intelligence company Vantor on June 28, the VLS at the bow of a Type 054B vessel had a different shape compared to the first two Type 054B vessels that have already entered service. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3363894/satellite-images-show-50-cent-boost-chinas-type-054b-missile-capacity https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3363894/satellite-images-show-50-cent-boost-chinas-type-054b-missile-capacity Thu, 13 Aug 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s most advanced laser weapon has been spotted aboard a Type 071 amphibious landing ship in the South China Sea, adding near-shore anti-drone capabilities to a family of warships vital for potential conflicts in sensitive waters, according to analysts. In a People’s Liberation Army joint air and naval drill at Scarborough Shoal on August 1, a shipborne laser weapon believed to be the Liaoyuan-1 (LY-1) was seen on the Qilianshan, making it the latest large surface vessel so far equipped with... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3363564/powerful-anti-drone-laser-spotted-pla-amphibious-ship-south-china-sea https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3363564/powerful-anti-drone-laser-spotted-pla-amphibious-ship-south-china-sea Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:03:37 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang A Type 052D destroyer fired a YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile into the air, Chinese media footage released this week showed, highlighting capabilities that could pose defence challenges for the US and its allies. A YJ-20 missile was launched from a vertical launch system (VLS) of the Type 052D destroyer, according to a video clip released on Wednesday by state broadcaster CCTV. It is not known when the video was taken. The YJ-20 missile, also known as a carrier-killer, debuted at Beijing’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3362473/what-chinas-hypersonic-anti-ship-missile-fired-smaller-destroyer-signals https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3362473/what-chinas-hypersonic-anti-ship-missile-fired-smaller-destroyer-signals Fri, 31 Jul 2026 04:00:26 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Computer-generated footage showing how China’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship will launch GJ-21 stealth fighter drones has been aired by state media, with a military commentator saying the vessel is in the final stages of commissioning. The 40,000-tonne Sichuan had full deck line markings, meaning it had entered the final testing phase, military expert Wei Dongxu told state broadcaster CCTV. The amphibious assault ship, which has a 250-metre-long (820 feet) and 62-metre-wide flight deck,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3362271/chinas-type-076-amphibious-assault-ship-sichuan-final-tests-drone-catapult https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3362271/chinas-type-076-amphibious-assault-ship-sichuan-final-tests-drone-catapult Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:06:11 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Alleged scam-network mastermind Chen Zhi could face the death penalty, with Chinese prosecutors adding intentional injury to the list of charges against him. Chen, 38, was extradited from Cambodia to China six months ago and formally arrested on July 6, according to Chinese business magazine Caixin. He founded the Cambodian conglomerate Prince Group, which authorities say was linked to a sprawling online scam network. Caixin reported on Monday that prosecutors dropped a previous count of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3361986/china-charges-alleged-scam-kingpin-chen-zhi-intentional-injury-report https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3361986/china-charges-alleged-scam-kingpin-chen-zhi-intentional-injury-report Mon, 27 Jul 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang There is a change in the skies and waters around Taiwan. In the first half of this year, the number of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fighter jets detected near the island more than halved year on year to 1,334. It was a three-year low and marked the lowest operational tempo since 2023, according to a tally by the South China Morning Post based on data from Taiwan’s defence ministry. At the same time, the number of days no PLA jets were detected by Taiwan hit a new high, and the PLA did not... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3361605/why-pla-fighter-jet-sorties-near-taiwan-dropped-3-year-low-first-half-2026 https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3361605/why-pla-fighter-jet-sorties-near-taiwan-dropped-3-year-low-first-half-2026 Thu, 23 Jul 2026 22:00:20 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Beijing launched a two-day live-fire drill in the Taiwan Strait on Thursday, coinciding with the end of a fisheries resources survey east of Taiwan and soon after Beijing labelled a speech by Taiwan’s leader as reckless and provocative. The drill will run from 6am to 6pm on Thursday and Friday, according to a navigation warning issued by Beijing’s maritime safety administration on Wednesday. It comes days after Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te said Taiwan was “not subordinate to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3361554/pla-conducts-2-days-live-fire-drills-taiwan-strait-fujian-island https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3361554/pla-conducts-2-days-live-fire-drills-taiwan-strait-fujian-island Thu, 23 Jul 2026 05:16:58 +0000 Albee Zhang,Gabriel Dominguez Albee Zhang,Gabriel Dominguez The United States Coast Guard said it closely tracked Chinese polar expedition vessels transiting the Bering Sea on their way to the Arctic Ocean last week, amid unease over Beijing’s geopolitical ambitions in the region. The US Coast Guard Cutter Munro actively monitored the Chinese research ships Xuelong and Xuelong 2 as they passed northbound through the US exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and extended continental shelf in the Bering Sea towards the Arctic, the US Coast Guard said last... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3361476/why-chinas-polar-expedition-arctic-ocean-has-drawn-us-ire https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3361476/why-chinas-polar-expedition-arctic-ocean-has-drawn-us-ire Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:00:11 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s military mouthpiece on Monday dedicated a full page to warning about Japan’s expanding offensive drone capabilities, which it said threatened regional peace and security. PLA Daily said Japan’s right-wing political forces had long sought to bypass Tokyo’s constitutional ban, adopted after World War II, on offensive combat capabilities. Uncrewed platforms have allowed Japan to circumvent these constraints on military development, according to one of four PLA Daily articles on the topic in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3361224/chinas-military-mouthpiece-issues-full-page-warning-japans-growing-drone-power https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3361224/chinas-military-mouthpiece-issues-full-page-warning-japans-growing-drone-power Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:10:06 +0000 Xinlu Liang,Lawrence Chung,Albee Zhang Xinlu Liang,Lawrence Chung,Albee Zhang Shanghai raised its local typhoon warning on Saturday afternoon as eastern China braced for the arrival of Typhoon Bavi, cancelling flights and ferry services and evacuating thousands of people. As of 6pm, Shanghai transport authorities had limited the speed on the overground sections of four subway lines, and warned they might impose further limits or partially suspend services on the rest of the network on Sunday and Monday. The city government has also imposed a 60km/h (35mph) speed limit on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3360201/typhoon-bavi-flights-and-trains-cancelled-china-steps-emergency-preparations https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3360201/typhoon-bavi-flights-and-trains-cancelled-china-steps-emergency-preparations Sat, 11 Jul 2026 02:39:36 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Two Chinese military pilots, including a high-ranking tactical commander, were killed during frontline flight training exercises last month, according to official regional government notices and local media tracking. Beijing, which seldom discloses military fatalities, has not made any statement about the deaths, and it is not known if the pilots were killed in the same incident. As China aggressively modernises its armed forces, it has intensified training on new tactics and hardware to ensure... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3360124/2-chinese-military-naval-pilots-killed-during-pla-frontline-training-exercises https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3360124/2-chinese-military-naval-pilots-killed-during-pla-frontline-training-exercises Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:59:28 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang A Chinese paratrooper rescued an unconscious colleague after their parachutes became entangled in mid-air, the military’s official newspaper reported on Thursday. The PLA Daily said the incident happened during a scheduled parachute refresher training exercise conducted by a People’s Liberation Army Air Force brigade on May 28. First Lieutenant Wang Rui, a team leader in the unspecified brigade, was making his 16th-ever jump, at an altitude of 800 metres (2,600 feet). Wang jumped from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3359970/chinese-paratrooper-saves-unconscious-comrade-dramatic-mid-air-chute-emergency https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3359970/chinese-paratrooper-saves-unconscious-comrade-dramatic-mid-air-chute-emergency Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:10:27 +0000