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The Front Line: taking stock of China’s military modernisation
China is on its way to becoming a military superpower as the People’s Liberation Army barrels ahead with an ambitious modernisation drive. Its progress will be seen during a huge military parade on September 3, when some of the PLA's latest weaponry rolls through the heart of Beijing. In this series, we take a look at how far China's military has come.
Updated: 11 Sep, 2025
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[1]
Explainer | China will bring out the big guns for its military parade. What’s it all about?
Expect a lot of pomp, warplanes, tanks and goose-stepping soldiers when the PLA marks 80 years since the end of WWII in September.
24 Jun, 2025
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[2]
New hypersonic missiles and drones: what’s been rolling through Beijing?
New YJ anti-ship and laser weapons among the armaments spotted in photos and videos of a military parade rehearsal in the Chinese capital.
18 Aug, 2025
[3]
Is China poised to lead the world with combat-ready ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 drone?
Leaked photos from Victory Day parade drills suggest CCA drone has entered active service. An official debut would mark a world first.
20 Aug, 2025
[4]
The Front Line | China’s military has made a dramatic about-turn. The world is watching
The PLA’s ‘remarkable improvements’ in the past decade are closing the gap with the US, but geopolitics could hold back Chinese arms sales.
23 Aug, 2025
[5]
The Front Line | China’s path to military supremacy runs through an industrial powerhouse
Vast defence factories including ‘aerospace city’ are fusing civil and manufacturing capacity to supercharge the country’s armed forces.
24 Aug, 2025
[6]
The Front Line | Why China and US still invest in crewed military systems when they have drones
While autonomous weapons have advantages, analysts say humans will remain central to decision-making and combat operations.
26 Aug, 2025
[7]
The Front Line | New tank shows China adapting to drone-era battlefield and landing operations: analyst
A medium-weight tank spotted on Beijing’s streets during Victory Day rehearsals shows Beijing learning from Ukraine war, says Fu Qianshao.
26 Aug, 2025
[8]
The Front Line | As the world watches PLA approach 100, is it truly ‘capable of winning wars’?
On September 3, China’s steps towards ‘building a world-class military by the middle of the century’ will be more visible.
27 Aug, 2025
[9]
The Front Line | China’s military parade provides reminder of rising stars who fell to earth
A leading role in the event may show who is heading for the top – but some who did so in the past have now been caught in a corruption purge.
29 Aug, 2025
[10]
The Front Line | Guerrilla warfare to hi-tech: how China’s military parades have evolved
Along with the marching and ceremony, these events are used to showcase advanced equipment developed for the People’s Liberation Army.
31 Aug, 2025
[11]
The Front Line | How will China’s advanced drones and robobeasts share stage with PLA personnel?
PLA describes parade formation as ‘organised according to real-combat joint groupings’, suggesting cross-system operational readiness.
01 Sep, 2025
[12]
The Front Line | Chinese state media hints at variants of hypersonic missile in parade
One anticipated highlight is air-launched variant of the originally sea-based YJ-21, nicknamed an ‘aircraft carrier killer’.
02 Sep, 2025
[13]
The Front Line | These are the powerful weapon systems you won’t see in China’s military parade
From next-generation stealth fighters to strategic missile defence, some of the PLA’s key assets will be absent from the spectacle.
03 Sep, 2025
[14]
The Front Line | Will the JL-1 missile be China’s final word on airborne nuclear deterrence?
H-6 bombers have been retrofitted to carry the weapon but they have their limits, analysts say.
11 Sep, 2025
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