Advertisement
Advertisement
-
TOPIC

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

videocam
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

videocam
5
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

videocam
18
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

videocam
93
Illustration: Henry Wong

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

videocam
40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

videocam
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

videocam
5
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

videocam
18
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

videocam
93
Illustration: Henry Wong

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

videocam
40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
What appears to be a covered GJ-21 stealth drone is seen on the deck of the Sichuan, China’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship. Photo: Handout
Taiwan

Has China’s GJ-21 stealth attack drone joined sea trials for Type 076 Sichuan?

Photos circulating on social media have sparked speculation that the PLA Navy’s amphibious assault ship has entered a new phase of testing.

videocam
5
United States

Opinion | With US-Russia treaty set to expire, threat of a new nuclear arms race grows

US-China relations

Why the collapse of the last US-Russia nuclear treaty matters for China

videocam
4
China’s air force

China’s J-10C stars at Singapore Airshow after lead role in India-Pakistan war

Beijing is eyeing the Southeast Asian market after the 4.5-generation fighter raised its international profile by shooting down a Rafale jet.

videocam
40
Chinese J-10C aircraft perform at the Singapore Airshow. Photo: Handout
ICBMs

China grows nuclear arsenal as last US-Russia limits expire

President Xi Jinping plans to further expand China’s nuclear weapons stockpile, while caps on US and Russian deployments end this week.

Pakistan

Pakistan’s ‘affordable’ China-developed jet: a victim of its own success?

At half the price of an F-16, the JF-17 is attracting new buyers that Islamabad may struggle to actually supply.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
China military reform

China’s growing military power

Chinese President Xi Jinping is boosting the nation’s defence capabilities ahead of the 2027 centenary of the People’s Liberation Army. He has overseen improvements in hardware, including the expansion of the nuclear weapons programme, and tightened his control through high-level purges of generals.

China’s growing military power
China military reform

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.

videocam
27
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.

videocam
China military reform

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.

videocam
47
A PLA J-16 fighter jet is seen loaded with missiles including the PL-10, PL-12, PL-15 and the bigger PL-17, which observers say is the world’s longest-range air-to-air missile. Photo: Handout
China’s air force

Are China’s J-20A stealth fighters now updated with high-thrust WS-15 engines?

Footage of flight tests suggests aircraft equipped with the home-grown engine is in the pre-delivery testing phase.

videocam
9
China has been developing the J-20A, an improved version of the J-20 stealth fighter jet, including upgrades to its aerodynamic layout, avionics and engines. Photo: QQ.com
US-China relations

Would Chinese or US supply lines be more vulnerable in a Pacific conflict?

AI-assisted modelling by the Heritage Foundation finds critical risks to fuel and munitions on both sides.

videocam
35
United States

The US is working on cheaper munitions. Should China follow its lead?

China’s massive industrial chain and ability to control production costs are clear advantages over the US, article says.

videocam
5
China’s aircraft carriers

Shandong’s use of PLA dry dock near South China Sea suggests carrier milestone

China may avoid a ‘carrier gap’ and could support carrier operations along the Indian Ocean to the Middle East and beyond, analysts say.

videocam
Analysis by a US geospatial intelligence company says satellite imagery shows the first use by a Chinese aircraft carrier of a new dry dock near the South China Sea. Photo: AllSource Analysis
US-Venezuela conflict

Trump says US used secret ‘discombobulator’ weapon in Maduro raid

He said the device made enemy equipment ‘not work’, and the Venezuelan forces were unable to use their ‘Russian and Chinese rockets’.

videocam
27
US President Donald Trump gestures after a signing ceremony for his Board of Peace initiative in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. Photo: AP
Thailand

Why Thailand, a US treaty ally, is stocking up on Chinese weapons

Bangkok’s recent purchases of Chinese military hardware include tanks, missiles and ships, while a submarine deal is back on track.

24
UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

1 soldier, 200 drones: China showcases rapid launch in swarm warfare tactics

State broadcaster details how intelligent tech is used in the PLA’s ability to control masses of autonomous aircraft.

videocam
5
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
United States

How 1,000 Chinese J-20s could challenge US dominance in the Indo-Pacific

Report finds ‘dramatic increase’ over past five years in Beijing’s capacity to contest Western air power, citing ‘highly capable’ fighters.

videocam
64
The J-20 became China’s first fifth-generation fighter jet when it entered service in 2017. Photo: Handout
Drones

Could China draw battlefield inspiration from Ukraine’s drone-borne micro bombs?

Leading defence scientist shares details of the creative ways Ukrainian forces are modifying hand grenades and other devices.

videocam
China’s navy

New details of China’s H-6J maritime strike bomber: more vision, more range, more roles

Naval variant of PLA Air Force’s H-6K is primarily designed as an anti-ship weapon, key to deterring vessels in various conflict scenarios.

videocam
20
China’s aircraft carriers

China’s next generation of warships will be propelled by a 50MW gas turbine

The advanced technology is part of Beijing’s push to establish a self-reliant supply chain for sectors deemed critical to national security.

52
China State Shipbuilding Corporation said it had achieved “full self-sufficiency across the entire process, from design and manufacturing to testing and validation”. Photo: Weibo/单手搓核弹
Taiwan

Type 075, the PLA amphibious ‘light aircraft carrier’ key to Taiwan strategy

The Hainan and its three sister ships are expected to form the backbone of the PLA Navy’s large-scale landing capability.

videocam
With a displacement of between 35,000 and 40,000 tonnes, the Type 075 Hainan is one of the largest amphibious assault ships in the world. Photo: Eugene Lee
Fujian Type 003 aircraft carrier

What the Fujian’s design flaws mean for China’s next aircraft carrier

Military magazine pinpoints design flaws in the Fujian carrier that significantly reduce its launch efficiency.

videocam
45
China’s military drills

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.

21
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.

videocam
16
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
US-China relations

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

John Phelan says it is essential that America matches China’s superior production capacity and manufacturing workforce.

videocam
79
US President Donald Trump announces plans for a new class of warships called the Golden Fleet at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in December. Photo: AFP
Iran

Why the US may find Iran’s air defence system harder to break than Venezuela’s

China’s most advanced export, the HQ-9B surface-to-air missile, is reported to be integrated into Iranian systems.

videocam
20
India

Opinion | Is India fuelling an arms race in Asia or closing a deterrence gap?

The challenge for New Delhi is to solve its deterrence shortfall without letting competition harden into permanent confrontation.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement