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China's military weapons

China's military weapons
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.
Open Questions series

Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

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15
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

7
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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5
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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18
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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93
Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
From the Shenyang J-8 (left) to the next-generation J-36, Chinese fighter design has undergone a massive technological transformation. Photo composite: Wikipedia/Max Smith
China’s military

Gu Songfen, pioneering designer of Chinese supersonic fighter jets, dies at 96

The aerodynamics expert was the chief designer of the Shenyang J-8 and a recipient of China’s most prestigious science award.

Russia

How China’s home-grown WS-10 engine helped make the country a modern air power

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South China Sea

Is PLA’s response to Dutch warship ‘putting down a marker’ in South China Sea?

China-India relations

Why Bangladesh could raise Indian red flags by buying a China-Pakistan fighter jet

Dhaka could be boosting its air power with the reported acquisition of a JF-17 flight simulator.

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Bangladesh's acquisition of a simulator for the JF-17 Thunder signals “serious intent to field modern fighters”, an observer says. Photo: Handout
China’s navy

Is China building the world’s largest naval support ship?

Photos of a giant hull released by state-owned shipbuilder trigger speculation that the vessel will be used to supply carrier groups.

China’s aircraft carriers

Could all of China’s aircraft carriers soon operate J-35 stealth fighters?

Only one vessel can now host the cutting-edge jet, but satellite images and state media hints indicate that might be changing.

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Qatar

China’s J-10CE jets defeat Eurofighters 9-0 in mock battles, CCTV confirms

While state broadcaster does not identify the drill, details appear to match a 2024 exercise in Qatar involving Pakistan.

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Pakistan is the only country besides China known to possess the J-10C fighter. Photo: CCTV
China’s military drills

Can PLA training catch up with China’s rapid weapon development?

‘No matter how advanced the equipment is, if people cannot effectively operate it, it remains nothing more than cold steel’: PLA Daily.

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South China Sea

Can AI-assisted unmanned vessels be Beijing’s answer to South China Sea patrols?

Near-silent autonomous surveillance vessels that can keep going for months on end recommended for Chinese maritime enforcement.

UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

Underwater anti-mine technology takes centre stage at Chinese defence show

The Chengdu Defence Technology Industry Expo showcases advanced equipment, including submarine-launched drones.

Robot dogs were among the weapons on display. Photo: CCTV
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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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
India-Pakistan tensions

China confirms it helped Pakistan’s air force during last year’s war with India

Engineers tell state media they offered technical support during conflict that saw an Indian-owned Rafale downed by a Chinese-made fighter.

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India-Pakistan tensions

Chinese J-35 stealth jets set to give Pakistan a strategic edge over India

India has a much larger fleet of 4.5-generation fighters but is lagging behind Pakistan in the acquisition of stealth warplanes.

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Artificial intelligence

Private firms can help stop sanctions ‘strangling’ China’s military: general

The authorities should give companies a greater voice in civilian-military collaboration, PLA Major General Zhang Zhan argues.

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A land-based drone formation features at a major military parade in Beijing on September 3, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
Mainland China

Does YJ-20 hypersonic sea-based missile give China an edge over US carriers?

The highly manoeuvrable weapon is nearly invulnerable to interception and could sink an aircraft carrier with a single hit.

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The Chinese military’s formidable YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile launches from a Type 055 destroyer. Photo: Handout
US, Israel war on Iran

Will new Saudi-Pakistan defence pact give Chinese arms risk-free exposure?

Islamabad’s elevated stature in Middle East security could make it ‘the operational face of Chinese defence systems’ via regional deployment.

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UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

China unveils new naval defence systems as drones change nature of war at sea

The PLA has been working to improve its defences after the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East highlighted the threat of anti-ship drones.

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AVIC

Has China given the first sign it’s ready to export J-35A fighter to Pakistan?

State media shows J-35A model bearing AVIC logo rolling out of the hangar, the English lettering hinting it is an export model.

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A J-35A fighter jet appeared on Chinese state television on May 1, fuelling speculation it is a variant set for export to Pakistan. Photo: CCTV
Mainland China

Pakistan commissions first Chinese submarine in ‘historic milestone’ for navy

President and naval chief attend ceremony in Sanya for the advanced Hangor-class vessel as the two countries step up defence cooperation.

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Taiwan

Why Beijing’s weaponised cargo ship could be crucial in the Taiwan Strait

Beijing’s ‘containerised destroyer’ can carry missile launchers and hide within commercial shipping lanes, military magazine says.

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US-China relations

Trump’s Golden Dome targets China’s ‘hypersonic weapons, cruise missiles’

US president’s US$185 billion missile defence shield to counter Chinese, Russian missile arsenals, a senior Pentagon official told Congress.

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The Trump administration’s Golden Dome concept is expected to identify incoming projectiles, calculate their trajectories, and deploy interceptor missiles to destroy them mid-flight. Photo: Lockheed Martin
Hypersonic missiles and weapons

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

Video of PLA Navy strike tests emerges as US, allies take part in Balikatan 2026, marking Japan’s first-ever operational role in the drills.

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China’s YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile system has a range of 1,000 to 1,500km, a cruising speed of around Mach 6 and a terminal dive speed reaching Mach 10. Photo: Handout
China’s military

Did China just hint that its next aircraft carrier will be nuclear-powered?

A video released to mark the PLA Navy’s anniversary uses wordplay to suggest that a new warship is under construction.

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G7

G7 ‘concerned’ at Russia and China’s nuclear build-up

The remarks come ahead of a month-long conference to revise the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

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China’s military drills

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
Canada

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 first drone-carrying Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, on its maiden sea trial last November. Photo: CCTV
US-China relations

US must make more bombers, bring China in on nuclear arms talks: senator

Republican Deb Fischer, whose subcommittee oversees US nuclear arsenal, insisted Beijing must be part of any future treaty negotiations.

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Science

Is this ‘paper antenna’ China’s gateway to widespread naval adoption of 5G?

Paper-based antenna devised by Chinese team is positioned as a low-cost, scalable ‘last-mile’ communication solution.

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