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China’s military drills

China’s military drills
Latest news and updates on military drills involving the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), including manoeuvres near Taiwan and joint exercises with other nations.
China’s Type 055 guided-missile destroyer, designated “Renhai-class” by Nato, is a cruiser-sized vessel with robust air-defence, anti-submarine and surface-warfare capabilities. Photo: Handout
China-Japan relations

Are China and Russia flexing their maritime muscle near Japan?

Tokyo’s recent tracking of three PLA Navy warships transiting Tsushima Strait comes amid heightened regional tensions.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | Without diplomacy, deterrence in Asia is a path to escalation

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China's military weapons

PLA showcases YJ-20 anti-ship missiles as US-Japan-Philippines test war moves

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Liaoning aircraft carrier

China stages navy drill as US and Philippines embark on Balikatan 2026

The Liaoning aircraft carrier appears to be among 14 large naval vessels snapped on manoeuvres in a satellite image circulating online.

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China’s first aircraft carrier went into commission in 2012 and was named “Liaoning” after the northeastern province. Photo: Xinhua via AP
Artificial intelligence

Iran war shows ‘strategic value’ of AI for China’s military, PLA Daily says

Commentary calls it ‘inevitable’ and necessary for PLA to embrace artificial intelligence to gain the advantage in future warfare.

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China's military weapons

PLA’s new Type 076 ‘drone carrier’ set for South China Sea training drills

China’s next-level amphibious warship, the Sichuan, in same waters where US, Japan and the Philippines are conducting joint military exercises.

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China's military weapons

How the PLA may use stealth drones in a swarming boat attack from Taiwan

Beijing could send in GJ-21s – which have long endurance and high manoeuvrability – to counter uncrewed combat boats, military magazine says.

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A GJ-21 stealth drone pictured on the deck of the Sichuan amphibious landing ship. Photo: Handout
US-China relations

US warns of China’s ‘invasion rehearsals’ as Trump seeks record military budget

Washington puts spotlight on Beijing’s Taiwan, space operations during hearing on US military’s combat readiness for next year.

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ICBMs

PLA troops facing Taiwan Strait and Japan simulate response to nuclear attack

Eastern Theatre Command, which has several nuclear power plants within its geographic coverage, holds decontamination drill.

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China's military weapons

PLA upgrades ageing tanks with protection system for potential Taiwan operation

Type 96A main battle tanks from Eastern Theatre Command now have APS to counter drones and anti-tank missiles, according to state media.

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Type 96A main battle tanks equipped with the GL-6 active protection system were seen in video footage released by state media on Sunday. Photo: Weibo/China Youth Daily
China-Japan relations

New Type 055 destroyers for PLA East China Fleet tested in first live-fire drill

Exercise will ‘rapidly integrate’ the advanced vessels into the joint combat system covering Taiwan and the seas near Japan.

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Intensive targeted live-fire exercises in mid-March for the Dongguan and Anqing Type 055 super destroyers simulated a range of combat operations, official media reported. Photo: Handout
Vietnam

In joint patrols with China, Vietnam steers course between 2 powers

The Gulf of Tonkin will be the backdrop this week for naval activities despite a five-decade maritime dispute.

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US-China relations

Ex-US Air Force fighter pilot accused of secretly training Chinese military

Gerald Eddie Brown Jr allegedly provided ‘defence services’ after 24-year Air Force career training US pilots on advanced combat aircraft.

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China's military weapons

With first missile of its kind, China overtakes US in hypersonic defence: report

A big reason is the long-range CJ-1000, the world’s first and so far only operational land-based scramjet-powered hypersonic missile.

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China’s CJ-1000 hypersonic cruise missile is capable of striking high-value naval and aerial assets from thousands of kilometers away. Photo: CCTV
China education

English language instruction in Chinese military is outdated, unbalanced: report

Senior lecturers warn that troops are not being given the communication skills they need to operate on the international stage.

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The report said English language skills were important for UN peacekeeping missions. Photo: Simon Song
Central Military Commission

China’s military cracks down on training ‘fakery’ after Zhang Youxia’s ousting

PLA plans to crack down on ‘fakery that undermines combat capability’, soon after top generals placed under corruption investigation.

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Taiwan

PLA Navy warns off foreign jets with jamming missiles near Taiwan: CCTV

State broadcaster says Yanan destroyer encountered aircraft near the island and took ‘electronic countermeasures’.

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China's military weapons

China’s new YJ-18C missile: a logistics killer for US Navy?

Subsonic land-attack cruise weapon can be repurposed for anti-ship use, Chinese military magazine says.

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YJ-18C cruise missiles are unveiled during a military parade in Beijing on September 3 last year. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
South China Sea

China patrols around Scarborough Shoal, days after US-Philippine drills

‘Combat readiness patrols’ meant to counter ‘infringement and provocative actions’, PLA Southern Theatre Command says.

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China's military weapons

Has China’s game-changer PL-17 long-range missile finally been seen up close?

Photo on Chinese social media appears to show full-size model of missile that may pose threat to US air dominance in Pacific, analysts say.

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China’s military

PLA urged to find a way to operate effectively under the gaze of US and Japan

Analysts say that after rapid response to latest drills around Taiwan, military must move away from emphasis on trying to avoid detection.

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The PLA launched live-fire drills around Taiwan last month with no warning, yet the response from the US and Japan was immediate, according to a Beijing-based defence think tank. Photo: Handout via AFP
China's military weapons

Are Western defence firms aiming at the Chinese navy in their promo videos?

Vessels that look a lot like PLA warships appear in animation of BAE and Lockheed weapons systems.

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Lockheed Martin’s animated video promotes its “long range anti-ship missile”. Illustration: Handout
Brics

Testing the waters: is Brics evolving into a security alliance?

The first naval exercises under the ‘Brics plus’ banner saw Brazil, Egypt, China, Russia and South Africa take part. India did not.

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US-China relations

US bill for US$300 million military support to Taiwan passes House

The 482-page bill outlining varying military assistance comes as Taipei announced that more US weapons sales to Taiwan are in the pipeline.

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Taiwan

F-16 fighter crash brings fresh scrutiny to Taiwan’s ageing military equipment

Opposition politicians frame incident as readiness problem created by high operational tempo, ageing airframes and slow equipment delivery.

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A single-seat F-16V fighter jet belonging to Hualien Air Force Base in Taiwan crashed off the coast of Hualien this week while conducting a routine night training mission. It has drawn attention to the maintenance and upgrade of the island’s military equipment. Photo: Handout
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
UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

PLA drills target swarms of suicide drones – Taiwan’s front line of defence

CCTV footage shows naval unit conducting anti-drone and uncrewed target exercises as mainland China’s military launches 2026 training cycle.

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China-Japan relations

‘Real and accelerating’: China-Japan military tensions surge amid missile race

Analysts hold out little hope that security pressures will ease, given US insistence that regional allies boost first island chain defences.

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