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China’s military

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China’s military
Latest news, features and opinion on the military in China, including the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the development of warships, aircraft carriers and fighter jets, spending on the armed forces and reforms and modernisation. US-China and mainland-Taiwan military tensions and the deployment of China’s armed forces overseas are also covered.
Pratas, bridging the Taiwan Strait and the Bashi Channel, is the largest natural island in the South China Sea and commands a vital strategic position in its northern reaches. Photo: CNA
Taiwan

PLA sends drone into airspace near Taiwan-held Pratas Island in South China Sea

Southern Theatre Command cites ‘completely legitimate’ routine flight training, while Taipei calls it ‘provocative and irresponsible’ act.

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US-China relations

US bill for US$300 million arms sale to Taiwan passed in House

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US-China relations

‘Wartime footing’: US Navy chief unveils Trump’s Golden Fleet shipbuilding push

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US-Venezuela conflict

Could China execute special forces operation like US precision Maduro abduction?

The Pentagon sees China’s 20,000-30,000 special operation personnel as limited by logistics support and fragmented command structure.

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On January 5, Nicolas Maduro is escorted towards the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan after being abducted from Caracas by US forces. Analysts ask whether China has the capacity to carry out a similar opertion. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

Opinion | How Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’ is escalating US-China rivalry

Maduro’s capture not only challenges China’s influence in Latin America but also signals a bolder US security posture that could reshuffle great-power competition.

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China's military weapons

China set to supercharge radar, engine and AI in fifth-gen J-20 stealth fighter

Analyst tells state media Mighty Dragon’s airborne weapons are expected to have a longer range and stronger anti-interference capabilities.

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Taiwan

How PLA could use ‘decapitation’ strike to counter Taiwan’s ‘porcupine’ strategy

Mainland Chinese military magazine warns of ‘threat’ posed by island’s asymmetric warfare plan and calls for multipronged response.

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Special forces soldiers train with a Stinger portable air defence missile in New Taipei City in July. Photo: Handout
United States

As I see it | Welcome, world, to the American jungle

Far from deterring China and Russia, the operation signals that brute force, not international law, now defines American action.

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China's military weapons

J-35 jet maker flexes production muscle, pledging to double output in 5 years

New video shows stealth fighter on the runway at SAC in Liaoning as state media says factory will be part of ‘Shenyang Aerospace City’.

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US-China relations

Trump wants US$1.5 trillion for military. Will China boost spending too?

Analysts say Donald Trump’s military budget proposal aims to blunt China’s influence, but some dismiss the spending plan as ‘fanciful’.

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US President Donald Trump says his administration’s tariffs on other countries will help fund his proposed increase in defence spending. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
Mainland China

Opinion | How China’s history links military strength to fighting corruption

Lessons from the first Sino-Japanese War in 1895 shape Beijing’s drive to build a PLA defined by not just advanced weapons, but also institutional integrity.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China's military weapons

China’s Hurricane 3000 microwave weapon can ‘sweep and kill’ drone swarms at 3km

The Hurricane 3000 has a longer range than its US Army equivalent and can carry out ‘diverse air defence missions’, developer Norinco says.

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US-Venezuela conflict

Venezuela attack seen as reminder for China to boost air defence, intelligence

Lessons for Beijing include the need to upgrade hardware, protect state secrets and prevent infiltration, experts say.

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China-Latin America relations

Will Beijing look to US capture of Nicolas Maduro for lessons on Taiwan?

Analysts say US operation should serve as warning to separatist forces in Taiwan following PLA drills targeting the island’s leadership.

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A firefighter walks past a destroyed anti-aircraft unit at La Carlota military base in Caracas following a US strike that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
China’s navy

US Navy aircraft crashes offer lessons for PLA carrier operations, analysts say

Chinese military could learn from rival’s strengths in search and rescue response, but also its weaknesses in maintenance and training.

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Two US Navy aircraft based on the USS Nimitz crashed into the South China Sea within half an hour of each other in October. Photo: Handout
Taiwan

Just how close did a PLA drone come to the heart of Taipei during drill?

Footage shared by a mainland military social media account shows Taipei 101 but it’s not clear when it was taken.

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China's military weapons

Is China’s truck-mounted catapult system enabling merchant aircraft carriers?

Scalable truck-based launch track pictured on modified cargo ship raises questions about drone war potential.

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Corruption in China

China’s never-ending anti-corruption campaign: 2025 tracker

In 2025, graft-busters launched corruption investigations against 65 senior Chinese officials, including eight of ministerial-level.

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Taiwan

Editorial | Powerful PLA drill shows US arms sales don’t help Taiwan Strait stability

As the US risks sending the wrong signal to Taiwan, Beijing has responded with an unambiguous warning against the island moving towards independence.

China's military weapons

China’s ‘carrier killer’ hypersonic missile YJ-20 in final testing: video

Chinese military’s recently unveiled longest-range missile appears to be nearing mass production.

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Taiwan

PLA fires rockets near Taiwan on second day of Beijing’s drills around island

Coastguard releases poster depicting blockade as Eastern Theatre Command conducts live-fire exercises to north and south of island.

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The PLA targeted waters north of Taiwan in live-fire drills on Tuesday. Photo: Handout via Reuters
Taiwan

PLA deploys fighters in live-fire drill around Taiwan in wake of US arms deal

Military says it is conducting exercise across five areas near the self-governed island.

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The large-scale drills are being conducted by the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command. Photo: CCTV
SCMP Highlights

Fujian enters service, J-10C impresses: 10 China military developments in 2025

From hardware on show at China’s military parade to anti-drone systems, here are some of the year’s most notable People’s Liberation Army stories.

US-China relations

Pentagon says Chinese aircraft carriers, 6th-gen fighters make US ‘vulnerable’

Report adds that Americans’ security is threatened by Beijing’s development of its ‘historic military build-up’, including nuclear arsenal.

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China's military weapons

‘Saturation attacks’: drone swarms key for wartime victory, PLA Daily says

Concentrated UAV swarms seen to allow ‘optimal combat effectiveness with minimal battlefield expenditure’.

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Concentrated drone formations in wartime are capable of “forcing the enemy into a state of exhaustion and passive defence”, PLA Daily article says. Photo: Shutterstock
France

J-16s vs Rafales: Chinese air force puts jets to the war-game test

State broadcaster offers a look at a PLA exercise simulating an air combat scenario between Chinese and foreign forces.

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The war game simulated an encounter between Chinese and French multi-role fighters. Photo: CCTV
US-China relations

US lawmakers want DeepSeek, Xiaomi added to list of China military-linked firms

Republicans want to add 19 more entities to the document that already includes tech giant Tencent Holdings and major ‍battery maker CATL.

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China's military weapons

Chinese military tightens review of weapons pricing to fight corruption

CMC Equipment Development Department releases new rules amid push for quality equipment and ‘professional ethics’.

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