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Nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)

Nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)
Nuclear weapons continue to be a topic of tension in the modern world, particularly with concerns from the US and its partners over Iran's nuclear development programme, which Iran says is for medical and industrial use only. Such armaments can be delivered by intercontinental ballistic missiles, which have with a range of over 5,500km (3,400 miles).
The YKJ-1000 can reach speeds of up to Mach 7. Photo: Handout
Science

China’s ‘dirt cheap’ missiles could shake up global defence market: state media

The ‘cement-coated’ YKJ-1000 could prove ‘formidably competitive’ internationally if sold at the relatively cheap price of US$99,000.

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Open Questions series

Open Questions | Ex-PLA colonel on Taiwan, the Ukraine war, China-US ties

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China’s military

China has minimal nuclear arsenal, seeks no arms race with US: white paper

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War and conflict

Opinion | Why advances in conventional weapons tech should worry China, Russia and US

Washington, Beijing and Moscow must realise that rapid expansion of precision non-nuclear strike capabilities does not deter war, but instead invites miscalculation.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Science

Chinese civilian firm starts mass production of Mach 7 missiles at low cost

Beijing-based Lingkong Tianxing Technology releases video showing the YKJ-1000 striking a target in a desert testing range.

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North Korea

North Korea’s nuclear arsenal shows ‘exponential growth’ in new satellite images

Renovations at Yongbyon seemingly prove Kim Jong-un is serious about expanding his arsenal – but Seoul has a bunker-busting response.

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United States

Opinion | How South Korea’s nuclear sub deal with US could torpedo inter-Korean peace

Seoul is clearly prioritising advancing its military capabilities with Washington’s help, rather than improving ties with Pyongyang.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
North Korea

‘Hostile to the end’: North Korea’s shock at US subs approval sinks talk hopes

Now the North sees the South as a ‘quasi-nuclear weapons state’ with US help, a fourth Trump-Kim summit appears less likely than ever.

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China-Japan relations

Beijing warns Japan after PM’s Taiwan comments fuel nuclear shift concerns

Beijing says Japanese moves mark a ‘major negative policy shift’ as it urges Tokyo to abandon military build-up and regain regional trust.

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Middle East

US sanctions firms from China to India over Iranian weapons

The US also targeted Ma Jie, an individual based in China, who is accused of helping Iranian defence officials meet Chinese suppliers.

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Iranians visit an exhibition showcasing missile and drone achievements in Tehran on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
France

‘War of tomorrow will begin in space,’ Macron says, singling out Russia

The leader unveiled a multibillion euro increase in French military spending for space activities, citing Russia’s threat of nuclear arms.

An illustration depicts a weapon in space firing a laser against the background of the Earth. Image: Nasa/Shutterstock
United States

Opinion | Trump’s nuclear turn risks upsetting fragile global strategic balance

US president may have wanted to project strength, but nuclear weapons testing could further isolate America and spark a new cold war.

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United States

Opinion | Devil in the details as US agrees to a South Korean nuclear-powered sub

Will the Australian experience be shared? Will it be a Virginia-class vessel or an indigenous design? And where will funding come from?

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Science

PLA team’s ‘dirty bomb’ fallout in rare field test as nuclear tension heats up

China’s weather modification tech can help fight radioactive fallout, study finds.

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A dirty bomb is a small explosion that spreads deadly radioactive waste, and could prove catastrophic in an urban environment. Photo: Shutterstock
South Korea

US’ nuclear submarine nod gives South Korea massive depth of power

The move would not only strengthen deterrence but also reduce the risk of open conflict in Northeast Asia, analysts say.

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The USS Vermont, a fast attack nuclear submarine, enters a naval base in Busan, South Korea. Photo: Yonhap/AP
Russia

Putin warns Russia may restart nuclear tests after Trump threat

No country apart from North Korea has carried out explosive tests of atomic weapons in the 21st century.

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South Korea

Hegseth confirms Trump support for Seoul’s nuclear submarine programme

The pledge accelerates Seoul’s long-sought military goal and signals a major shift in US policy on nuclear naval technology transfer.

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North Korea sanctions

US wants UN sanctions on 7 ships over North Korea exports to China

The ships are carrying illegal North Korean coal and iron exports to China, a State Department official said.

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The flags of North Korea and the United States. The US is set to ask the UN to impose sanctions on seven ships suspected of violating UN sanctions on North Korea. Photo: EPA
US-China relations

Will Trump’s call to resume nuclear testing fuel a US-China arms race?

US president’s order could spur Beijing to speed up development of nuclear weapon systems, observers say.

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Science

PLA releases photo of hypersonic ‘morphing’ missile that changes shape at Mach 5

China’s groundbreaking design features retractable wings that minimise drag for high-speed cruising.

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Japan

‘Utterly unacceptable’: Trump’s bomb testing call vexes nuclear-scarred Japan

‘In a nuclear war, there are no winners or losers; all of humanity becomes the loser,’ Hiroshima-based organisations say.

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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington in Yokosuka on Tuesday. Photo: AP
South Korea

Doubts surface over Trump’s South Korea nuclear submarine plan

Construction of the US-built submarines is likely to run into cost and feasibility issues and nuclear proliferation worries, experts say.

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The first of South Korea’s Changbogo-III Batch-II class submersibles is unveiled at the Hanwha Ocean dockyard in Geoje, South Korea, on October 22. Photo: Yonhap/EPA
China's military weapons

China’s next 5-year plan aims to narrow nuclear gap with US and Russia: analysts

Beijing’s proposed national blueprint links strategic forces with the global balance for the first time.

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Russia

Russia tests nuclear-capable underwater drone, boasting unmatched speed and depth

The Poseidon drone, reportedly designed to explode and unleash a radioactive tsunami, marks Russia’s latest nuclear message to the West.

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Russia

Putin: Russia’s new nuclear-powered missile can evade any defence

Russia says the Burevestnik missile is ‘invincible’ to any missile defence system, with an almost unlimited range and unpredictable flight path.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with Azerbaijan’s president, on October 9, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Photo: AFP
Korean peninsula

Opinion | If the US wants peace in Korea, no talks are better than rushed talks

For another summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, the US must lay the groundwork or risk another diplomatic breakdown.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
US-China relations

Opinion | Will today’s great powers heed the example of Richard Nixon and Zhou Enlai?

In a multipolar world, great powers can either handle hegemonic transitions through rigid alliances or opt for managed accommodation.

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China-North Korea relations

Is North Korea pushing China to more openly accept its nuclear power status?

Premier Li Qiang recently attended a military parade in Pyongyang that featured the North’s most advanced nuclear missile.

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