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Defence
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Defence. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Protesters rally outside the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 15, 2025, declaring “Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people”. Photo: Reuters
United States

Republican bill eyes Greenland as 51st US state in Trump’s arctic power play

Republican congressman from Florida, Randy Fine introduced a bill to annex Greenland, citing national security.

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India

Germany’s Merz backs India-EU trade deal during first official visit to Asia

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Espionage

Former US Navy sailor gets 16 years for selling ship secrets to Chinese contact

Taiwan

Opinion | The US wants to block China’s peaceful reunification. It won’t work

US weapons sales to Taiwan violate the one-China principle but won’t sway Asean or the wider international community.

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The Patriot missile system is deployed at a park in Taipei on July 11, 2025. Photo: AFP
The Pentagon

US senator sues Pentagon chief Hegseth over demotion threats

Retired US Navy captain and astronaut seeks to block a Pentagon demotion process triggered by his video urging troops to refuse ‘illegal orders’.

Diplomacy

Opinion | Why China now needs North Korea’s denuclearisation

As optimism grows over an end to the Ukraine war, a weakening of Moscow’s support for Pyongyang may give Beijing new leverage to stabilise the Korean peninsula.

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Greenland

Greenland says it should be defended by Nato, rejects any US takeover

The Arctic island’s government insists that security must happen through the Western alliance, not via US ownership.

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A member of the French armed forces trains as part of a combined nations military drill in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, in September. Photo: Reuters
China's military weapons

Chinese state media repositions sci-fi space, air combat aircraft as tech target

Military analyst on CCTV says frontier technologies reflect ‘expectations for future aerospace and space superiority’.

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Diplomacy

China’s oil risks worsen as Trump threatens Iran

The US president’s suggestion of potential intervention in Iran after the fatal suppression of protests adds new jeopardy to China’s oil imports.

Japan

Japan’s top diplomat heads to Philippines with South China Sea top of mind

The talks are likely to focus on Manila’s push for a South China Sea code with ‘teeth’ as this year’s Asean chair, analysts say.

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Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi looks on during a meeting in Israel on Sunday. He is due in Manila on Thursday. Photo: AP
North Korea

‘Gang of hooligans’: rebuke from North Korea signals icy ties with South

The unusually coarse language from Kim Jong-un’s sister shows that Pyongyang has no intention of reconciling with Seoul, experts say.

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Wreckage of a drone that North Korea claims originated from South Korea is shown in this composite photo, released on Saturday. Photo: KCNA/AFP
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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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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United States

Editorial | What happens next in Venezuela should be of international concern

If the US can take over the running of a country in this way, it could be the beginning of a slippery slope.

People attend an anti-Trump protest over US action in Venezuela near the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary, on January 7. Photo: Reuters
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
Donald Trump

Trump says will get Greenland ‘easy way’ or ‘hard way’

The Trump administration has reportedly discussed paying the island’s residents up to US$100,000 each to lure them to join the US.

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Science

China cites Biden’s message to Xi that Japan could build nukes ‘overnight’

Beijing releases 30-page report that includes a call for international community to ‘take concrete and strong measures’ against Japan’s nuclear ambitions.

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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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A J-35 fighter is shown at SAC’s airfield in Liaoning province, according to a video released by the manufacturer on Tuesday. Photo: Handout
The Philippines

Why the Philippines is taking control of undersea cable security

The moves will help strengthen regional stability and prevent Indo-Pacific connectivity from being quietly weaponised, analysts say.

The Philippines

Philippine navy ‘up to the challenge’ of defending territory in South China Sea

Manila is banking on modern ships and global alliances to challenge China’s increasing presence in the contentious waters.

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Diplomacy

Editorial | For South Korea to reset relations with China, it must withstand US pressure

The South Korean president’s visit to China was a sign of a more pragmatic approach that departs from that of his US-leaning predecessor.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (left) takes a selfie with Chinese President Xi Jinping using a Xiaomi smartphone following a state dinner in Beijing, China, on January 5. Photo: EPA/Yonhap/Pool
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
China’s military drills

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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Ukraine war

Russia slams West’s ‘axis of war’ as Kyiv says US guarantees ‘essentially ready’

Moscow warns ‘axis of war’ peacekeepers potentially being deployed to Ukraine are targets, overshadowing Zelensky’s claim a US pact is almost ready.

Malaysia

Malaysian military in firing line over procurement cartel claims

The detention of senior figures in the anti-corruption probe is ‘highly significant and rare’ in Malaysia’s defence history, analysts say.

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Malaysian army troops march in formation for National Day celebrations. Photo: AP
China’s military

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
Donald Trump

Trump calls for US$1.5 trillion in military spending, citing ‘dangerous times’

US president wants to build a ‘Dream Military’ and increase the US defence budget by more than half next year.

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China-North Korea relations

China’s role in Korean peninsula stability tested amid nuclear submarine moves

Seoul’s calls for Chinese mediation seen to underscore Beijing’s central role in preserving stability between two Koreas.

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