https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/519815/feed Latest news and updates on military drills involving the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), including manoeuvres near Taiwan and joint exercises with other nations. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier strike group sailed beyond the first island chain last week to reach the southernmost waters of the Philippines, suggesting an intent to position itself closer to ongoing US-Japan joint exercises. Philippine news channel BNC reported that the carrier group reached about 25 nautical miles (46km) east-southeast of Balut Island, the southernmost point of the Philippines, before sailing northeast on Friday. That positioned the warships past the first island chain, a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3372078/chinas-liaoning-aircraft-carrier-and-uss-theodore-roosevelt-converge-philippine-sea https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3372078/chinas-liaoning-aircraft-carrier-and-uss-theodore-roosevelt-converge-philippine-sea Sun, 25 Oct 2026 12:13:45 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s Type 051C destroyer Shenyang has been spotted undergoing sea trials after a reported refit, as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) begins phasing out legacy warships following the commissioning of a massive wave of new vessels. Witness photographs circulating on social media appear to show the Shenyang, hull number 115 and lead ship of the Type 051C class, with its Russian-made hardware replaced by domestic air defence systems. While precise details have yet to be independently confirmed,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371635/chinas-type-051c-gets-refit-pla-navys-legacy-warships-near-retirement https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3371635/chinas-type-051c-gets-refit-pla-navys-legacy-warships-near-retirement Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang The PLA Navy’s Liaoning aircraft carrier has started its second drill series in the western Pacific this year, with the training likely to coincide with an expanded US-Japan military exercise that could have implications for a Taiwan contingency. The Liaoning carrier group was carrying out the drill in “relevant waters” of the western Pacific Ocean as part of the navy’s annual training plan, China’s defence ministry said on Wednesday. While it did not disclose the exact location of the drill,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370859/chinas-liaoning-carrier-heads-pacific-us-japan-prepare-missile-drills https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370859/chinas-liaoning-carrier-heads-pacific-us-japan-prepare-missile-drills Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez China is running the most systematic effort of any outside power to learn from the drone war in Ukraine, with military and defence-industry analysts typically writing up new battlefield techniques within about four months, according to a new analysis. But it usually took a year or more before those lessons showed up publicly in People’s Liberation Army (PLA) training, equipment or force structure, Lilly Min-Chen Lee and Kateryna Bondar wrote in a commentary published on October 7 by the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370212/how-quickly-china-learning-ukraine-wars-latest-drone-tactics https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370212/how-quickly-china-learning-ukraine-wars-latest-drone-tactics Fri, 09 Oct 2026 01:00:07 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The Chinese navy says it had a rare South China Sea encounter involving a foreign warship that lost power, propulsion and radar while following a People’s Liberation Army destroyer, an account that resembles incidents this year involving US Navy destroyers in the region. The incident occurred when a foreign vessel conducted aggressive close shadowing of the PLA Navy Type 055 destroyer Zunyi during routine training by the Chinese vessel, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday. The CCTV... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370182/did-us-warship-lose-power-while-chasing-chinese-destroyer-south-china-sea https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370182/did-us-warship-lose-power-while-chasing-chinese-destroyer-south-china-sea Thu, 08 Oct 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Beijing has reinforced its military firepower facing the Taiwan Strait by deploying more 155mm PLZ-05 self-propelled howitzers, according to state media reports. Replacing its older 122mm artillery, a heavy combined-arms brigade under the People’s Liberation Army’s 71st Group Army has been equipped with a batch of the 155mm self-propelled howitzers over the past two months and conducted its first live-fire test of the weapons, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday. The 71st Group Army... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3366928/beijing-boosts-taiwan-facing-firepower-brigade-level-155mm-howitzer-deployment https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3366928/beijing-boosts-taiwan-facing-firepower-brigade-level-155mm-howitzer-deployment Wed, 09 Sep 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Mohamed Ibrahim Hafez,Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa Mohamed Ibrahim Hafez,Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa China is beginning to match its economic presence abroad with the military reach required to operate across it. The clearest evidence came from Egypt. Chinese J-16 fighters flew there recently, supported by YU-20 tankers that refuelled them in the air. The Chinese jets are taking part in Egypt’s “Eagles of Civilisation” alongside Egyptian Rafales and MiG-29s. This is the first time China has sent the jets to Africa, providing experience in moving a combat force across continents and operating... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3365853/china-egypt-joint-drills-show-beijings-military-reach https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3365853/china-egypt-joint-drills-show-beijings-military-reach Wed, 02 Sep 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez In a rare display of interoperability, a Chinese YY-20 aerial tanker has been pictured refuelling a French-built Egyptian Rafale fighter – showing a versatility analysts say could enable closer multinational air operations and improve the tanker’s potential for export. The photo, released by the Egyptian military on Monday, showed mid-air refuelling during the Eagles of Civilisation 2026 joint exercise, which began last month and is being held at several airbases across Egypt. The YY-20, also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3365970/export-potential-chinese-yy-20-refuels-egyptian-rafale-cross-platform-drill https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3365970/export-potential-chinese-yy-20-refuels-egyptian-rafale-cross-platform-drill Tue, 01 Sep 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s GJ-21 large stealth attack drone has been spotted on flight tests this month, as the country’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship – the vessel that will launch the drone – enters its final sea trials. The GJ-21, the naval variant of the GJ-11 stealth attack drone, first appeared at China’s Victory Day parade in September last year and has made rare public appearances since then. Computer-generated footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV in July showed how it would be launched from... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3365654/china-tests-gj-21-stealth-drone-sichuan-type-076-warship-carries-out-sea-trials https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3365654/china-tests-gj-21-stealth-drone-sichuan-type-076-warship-carries-out-sea-trials Sat, 29 Aug 2026 04:00:16 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim A fleet of Chinese J-16 fighters has arrived in Egypt ahead of a joint exercise that will be the aircraft’s first-ever deployment to Africa. The planes and aviators taking part in the Eagles of Civilisation 2026 exercise arrived at an Egyptian airbase on Friday morning after a 6,000km (3,700-mile) journey that took nine hours and required the planes to refuel in mid-air, according to the People’s Liberation Army. It added that the service personnel involved in the exercise had started... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364913/chinese-j-16-fighters-arrive-egypt-ahead-eagles-civilisation-2026-joint-drill https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364913/chinese-j-16-fighters-arrive-egypt-ahead-eagles-civilisation-2026-joint-drill Sat, 22 Aug 2026 12:00:05 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The People’s Liberation Army used a drone to deliver cases of cash and gold bars in a field during a “wartime financial support” drill apparently simulating a Taiwan operation, according to a state media report. A multi-rotor drone was used to drop the camouflage cases at designated locations during the exercise conducted by the PLA Eastern Theatre Command, national newspaper Defence Times said last week. The report prompted heated discussion online and has since been deleted. It included... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3364423/pla-troops-sent-gold-new-taiwan-and-us-dollars-wartime-financial-support-drill https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3364423/pla-troops-sent-gold-new-taiwan-and-us-dollars-wartime-financial-support-drill Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:00:30 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Beijing has confirmed that a 23-year-old paratrooper died in a training accident in northwestern China, a revelation that follows recent reports of several accidents and deaths in its military. State media said on Sunday that Xia Shiyuan, of Huaiyuan county in Anhui province, was involved in an incident shortly after leaving an airborne aircraft during a scheduled training exercise in Golmud, Qinghai province, on the morning of May 27. Xinhua said Xia fell to the ground and was taken to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3363673/chinese-paratrooper-killed-qinghai-exercise-beijing-acknowledges-casualties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3363673/chinese-paratrooper-killed-qinghai-exercise-beijing-acknowledges-casualties Tue, 11 Aug 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s most advanced laser weapon has been spotted aboard a Type 071 amphibious landing ship in the South China Sea, adding near-shore anti-drone capabilities to a family of warships vital for potential conflicts in sensitive waters, according to analysts. In a People’s Liberation Army joint air and naval drill at Scarborough Shoal on August 1, a shipborne laser weapon believed to be the Liaoyuan-1 (LY-1) was seen on the Qilianshan, making it the latest large surface vessel so far equipped with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3363564/powerful-anti-drone-laser-spotted-pla-amphibious-ship-south-china-sea https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3363564/powerful-anti-drone-laser-spotted-pla-amphibious-ship-south-china-sea Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:03:37 +0000 Liu Zhen,Gabriel Dominguez Liu Zhen,Gabriel Dominguez Chinese state television has broadcast rare footage apparently showing the US Air Force’s Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan as a target of the PLA’s missile force. During an episode of the CCTV documentary Securing Victory on Monday, a satellite image of an airbase was seen in the background as People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force officers discussed an exercise and combat scenarios. The image – which was slightly out of focus – showed an airfield surrounded by urban development. The layout of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3363170/has-chinas-missile-force-got-americas-kadena-base-japan-its-sights https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3363170/has-chinas-missile-force-got-americas-kadena-base-japan-its-sights Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen As the People’s Liberation Army marks its 99th anniversary on August 1, one year from the deadline for its centenary goals, its evolution highlights the past, present and future of China’s military strategy. In the first part of a series, Liu Zhen examines how the PLA’s strategies have developed from guerrilla warfare to hi-tech conflict. In April 1932, Xi Zhongxun, 18, led the newly formed Fifth Detachment of the Red Army’s Shaanxi-Gansu Guerrilla Force marching in the mountains in Yongshou... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3362403/pla-99-how-chinas-military-went-ragtag-rifles-world-class-force https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3362403/pla-99-how-chinas-military-went-ragtag-rifles-world-class-force Thu, 30 Jul 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The United States could be developing underground warfare powers and China should guard against the potential threat to its national security, Chinese think tanks have warned. As drones and precision-guided weapons increasingly dominate ground combat in conflicts, military theorists are exploring the strategic potential of subterranean space as a possible dimension of future warfare. Palmer Luckey, founder of defence technology company Anduril, has promoted the concept of a “subterrene” – a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3362332/could-us-subterranean-warfare-be-future-threat-chinas-military-defences https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3362332/could-us-subterranean-warfare-be-future-threat-chinas-military-defences Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:30:07 +0000 Alcott Wei,Amber Wang Alcott Wei,Amber Wang Zhou Bo is a retired senior colonel in the People’s Liberation Army, a senior fellow at Tsinghua University’s Centre for International Security and Strategy, and the author of the book Should the World Fear China? SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions series. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is approaching its 2027 centenary, a major benchmark set by Beijing to achieve military modernisation. What is that goal actually about? China has set two major military... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/military/article/3362374/ex-pla-colonel-us-decline-and-chinas-nuclear-arsenal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/military/article/3362374/ex-pla-colonel-us-decline-and-chinas-nuclear-arsenal Thu, 30 Jul 2026 08:10:55 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang There is a change in the skies and waters around Taiwan. In the first half of this year, the number of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fighter jets detected near the island more than halved year on year to 1,334. It was a three-year low and marked the lowest operational tempo since 2023, according to a tally by the South China Morning Post based on data from Taiwan’s defence ministry. At the same time, the number of days no PLA jets were detected by Taiwan hit a new high, and the PLA did not... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3361605/why-pla-fighter-jet-sorties-near-taiwan-dropped-3-year-low-first-half-2026 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3361605/why-pla-fighter-jet-sorties-near-taiwan-dropped-3-year-low-first-half-2026 Thu, 23 Jul 2026 22:00:20 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Beijing launched a two-day live-fire drill in the Taiwan Strait on Thursday, coinciding with the end of a fisheries resources survey east of Taiwan and soon after Beijing labelled a speech by Taiwan’s leader as reckless and provocative. The drill will run from 6am to 6pm on Thursday and Friday, according to a navigation warning issued by Beijing’s maritime safety administration on Wednesday. It comes days after Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te said Taiwan was “not subordinate to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3361554/pla-conducts-2-days-live-fire-drills-taiwan-strait-fujian-island https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3361554/pla-conducts-2-days-live-fire-drills-taiwan-strait-fujian-island Thu, 23 Jul 2026 05:16:58 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez China’s aircraft carrier programme is entering a new phase as Beijing broadens its focus to improve the recruitment and training of the crews and pilots needed for operations far from the country’s home waters, according to a new report. The London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies said the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy was making sweeping changes to pilot recruitment and training. Rather than relying mainly on experienced aviators transferring from operational squadrons,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3360371/what-chinas-carrier-recruitment-drive-says-about-pla-navys-long-term-ambitions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3360371/what-chinas-carrier-recruitment-drive-says-about-pla-navys-long-term-ambitions Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:00:13 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei A newly emerged image of a PLA J-16 multirole fighter jet in a rare, heavy air‑superiority “extreme loadout” configuration points to an extension of long-range tactical capabilities, according to a Chinese military magazine. In an analysis published this month, Ordnance Science and Technology said the photo of a J‑16 carrying multiple long‑range missiles circulating in May showed that China’s air force had developed more offensive tactical capabilities. “This J-16 sortie used 10 external-weapon... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3360170/what-does-chinas-j-16-fighter-jet-beast-mode-mean-pla-air-force-patrols https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3360170/what-does-chinas-j-16-fighter-jet-beast-mode-mean-pla-air-force-patrols Sun, 12 Jul 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Two Chinese military pilots, including a high-ranking tactical commander, were killed during frontline flight training exercises last month, according to official regional government notices and local media tracking. Beijing, which seldom discloses military fatalities, has not made any statement about the deaths, and it is not known if the pilots were killed in the same incident. As China aggressively modernises its armed forces, it has intensified training on new tactics and hardware to ensure... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3360124/2-chinese-military-naval-pilots-killed-during-pla-frontline-training-exercises https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3360124/2-chinese-military-naval-pilots-killed-during-pla-frontline-training-exercises Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:59:28 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Taiwan gained critical information about Beijing’s ballistic missile launch this week thanks to the island’s long-range early-warning radar system and intelligence sharing with Washington. The island’s AN/FPS-115 Pave Paws long-range early-warning radar detected the missile soon after it was launched from a nuclear-powered submarine in the South China Sea, the Liberty Times reported on Wednesday, quoting a senior Taiwanese official. The system tracked the missile’s trajectory during the initial... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3360015/radar-system-taiwan-says-tracked-plas-ballistic-missile-launch https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3360015/radar-system-taiwan-says-tracked-plas-ballistic-missile-launch Fri, 10 Jul 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado Washington criticised China on Wednesday for providing only a few hours’ notice ahead of its launch of a submarine-fired ballistic missile into the Pacific, saying Beijing’s actions fell short of standards followed by other major nuclear powers. The US State Department said China failed to provide sufficient information ahead of Sunday’s test, which it said took place amid Beijing’s “rapid and opaque nuclear weapons build-up”. “We monitored China’s submarine-launched ballistic missile test on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3359907/us-says-china-gave-only-hours-warning-pacific-submarine-missile-launch https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3359907/us-says-china-gave-only-hours-warning-pacific-submarine-missile-launch Wed, 08 Jul 2026 22:51:46 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Chinese and Russian military personnel will be put through their submarine rescue paces in naval exercises this week, with Beijing hoping to gain operational experience from its strategic partner as competition heats up beneath the seas. The Joint Sea-2026 exercise between the two navies began in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao on Monday, underscoring deepening military cooperation between Beijing and Moscow since the annual drills were launched in 2012. The exercise coincided with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359880/china-eyes-russian-naval-expertise-yellow-sea-submarine-rescue-drills https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359880/china-eyes-russian-naval-expertise-yellow-sea-submarine-rescue-drills Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:16:35 +0000 Amber Wang,Gabriel Dominguez Amber Wang,Gabriel Dominguez China’s rare launch of a ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the deep Pacific sent a strategic signal to the United States and regional neighbours, particularly Japan, amid concerns about Beijing’s military expansion. Monday’s test is also likely to reinforce calls in Washington and among US allies for greater defence investment and closer security coordination as regional tensions continue to rise, according to analysts. What happened during China’s submarine-launched... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359762/what-does-chinas-submarine-missile-test-mean-its-nuclear-triad-expansion https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359762/what-does-chinas-submarine-missile-test-mean-its-nuclear-triad-expansion Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:00:06 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Russian naval vessels arrived in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao on Sunday ahead of joint maritime drills. They include the Varyag, a Slava-class guided-missile “carrier-killer” cruiser, as well as the Ufa, a diesel-electric attack submarine, the naval arm of the People’s Liberation Army Northern Theatre Command wrote on social media on Sunday. A welcome ceremony was held at the dock to greet the Russian forces, who starting on Monday, will be taking part in the annual Joint Sea... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359479/russian-warships-dock-chinese-port-ahead-joint-sea-exercises https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359479/russian-warships-dock-chinese-port-ahead-joint-sea-exercises Sun, 05 Jul 2026 10:53:22 +0000 Liu Zhen,Amber Wang Liu Zhen,Amber Wang Fresh footage has offered the first look at China’s truck-mounted electromagnetic catapult launching a drone, with its developer unveiling details of this large family of containerised weapon systems. The footage shows three eight-wheeled flat-top trucks driving on to what appears to be an airfield runway. Once aligned and connected via mechanical hinges, they form a continuous platform, along which a fixed-wing propeller drone accelerates and takes off. The Beijing Institute of Technology’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359193/could-chinas-containerised-aircraft-launcher-reshape-rules-modern-warfare https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359193/could-chinas-containerised-aircraft-launcher-reshape-rules-modern-warfare Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:00:06 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Japan and South Korea scrambled fighter jets in response to a joint Russian-Chinese bomber patrol on Saturday. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force said the patrols passed over the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the western Pacific, adding that they showed the two countries’ resolve and ability to safeguard regional peace and stability. It was the 11th patrol of this kind since 2019, but the first this year. Japan’s defence ministry said it had tracked two separate flights involving... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3358641/japan-and-south-korea-scramble-fighters-response-chinese-russian-bomber-patrol https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3358641/japan-and-south-korea-scramble-fighters-response-chinese-russian-bomber-patrol Sun, 28 Jun 2026 07:00:20 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang The People’s Liberation Army’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian Type 003, transited the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, a day after Taipei launched a combat readiness exercise. Song Zhongping, a military commentator and former PLA instructor, said the Fujian could be heading back to its home port in the southern island province of Hainan for a break before it headed out to the South China Sea for more training. Taiwan’s armed forces closely monitored the vessel throughout its passage using... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3358227/plas-advanced-aircraft-carrier-fujian-transits-taiwan-strait-amid-military-drills https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3358227/plas-advanced-aircraft-carrier-fujian-transits-taiwan-strait-amid-military-drills Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Liu Zhen,Alcott Wei Liu Zhen,Alcott Wei In an era of naval warfare defined by air superiority, precision missiles and autonomous drones, China’s navy appears to be bringing back the “big guns”. A new naval gun system is said to be in development which takes 155mm, or 6.1-inch, artillery shells. That would make it the largest of its kind in the world today. The naval gun has recently been spotted undergoing sea-based performance testing from an experimental warship, which suggests it is moving closer to being deployed by the People’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3356887/chinas-navy-has-missiles-and-drones-why-it-bringing-back-big-guns https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3356887/chinas-navy-has-missiles-and-drones-why-it-bringing-back-big-guns Fri, 12 Jun 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Amber Wang,Alcott Wei Amber Wang,Alcott Wei China is aiming to boost its “hunt-and-kill” capabilities with a new submarine that boasts futuristic features, according to Chinese analysts. A submarine that appeared to lack a traditional fin was being built at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, France-based Naval News reported on Wednesday, citing Vantor satellite images dated June 1. A submarine’s fin is a tower on its topside, usually used for observation and communications. Analysts said a finless design could boost the craft’s stealth,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3355991/chinas-futuristic-stealth-sub-boost-hunt-and-kill-capabilities-experts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3355991/chinas-futuristic-stealth-sub-boost-hunt-and-kill-capabilities-experts Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:33:11 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and its strike group are holding a live-fire exercise in the Pacific east of the Philippines, following one of its longest deployments in the South China Sea. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Kuznetsov-class carrier, along with at least four escorts, was spotted on Monday about 880km (547 miles) southwest of Okinotorishima, Japan’s southernmost point, according to a statement from the Japanese defence ministry. On Tuesday, carrier-based fighter aircraft and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3354978/chinas-type-054b-frigate-makes-carrier-force-debut-liaoning-live-fire-drills https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3354978/chinas-type-054b-frigate-makes-carrier-force-debut-liaoning-live-fire-drills Wed, 27 May 2026 03:57:36 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The PLA Navy’s aircraft carrier base in Hainan could prove vital to the fleet’s survivability and crucial in countering US containment along the first island chain in wartime, according to a prominent mainland Chinese magazine. Such a posture could also support efforts to impose a maritime blockade around Taiwan in the event of a conflict, Defence Review reported this month. China now operates three aircraft carriers: the Liaoning, the Shandong, and the most advanced, the catapult-equipped... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354674/breaking-chain-why-hainan-holds-key-survival-chinas-aircraft-carriers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354674/breaking-chain-why-hainan-holds-key-survival-chinas-aircraft-carriers Sun, 24 May 2026 14:00:05 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier on Tuesday kicked off training that will include live-fire drills in the western Pacific, a move poised to draw attention from Japan amid tense bilateral ties. The Liaoning-led carrier task group’s training will include far-sea tactical flight, live-fire exercises, and providing support and cover, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The Chinese navy did not specify the exact location of this week’s training, but said they were routine exercises in line with the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3354115/chinese-aircraft-carrier-kicks-drills-western-pacific-amid-tense-japan-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3354115/chinese-aircraft-carrier-kicks-drills-western-pacific-amid-tense-japan-ties Tue, 19 May 2026 10:22:44 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang China’s military mouthpiece has issued a rare warning that personnel may be insufficiently trained to operate new weapons, including unmanned systems, despite Beijing’s rapid advances in hardware. Some military units showed a low level of integration between personnel and equipment, Monday’s PLA Daily article cautioned, highlighting limited trust in systems and weak coordination between human operators and technology. It warned that without proper integration, “even advanced equipment may fail... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3353974/can-pla-training-catch-chinas-rapid-weapon-development https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3353974/can-pla-training-catch-chinas-rapid-weapon-development Tue, 19 May 2026 01:00:08 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai Three People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships were spotted transiting the Tsushima Strait en route to the East China Sea last week, as Tokyo closely tracks such passages amid heightened regional tensions. The vessels were two Type 055 guided-missile destroyers and a Type 052D destroyer, according to Japan’s Ministry of Defence and Self-Defence Forces on Saturday. The ministry said the Japanese force’s JS Ootaka conducted “alert surveillance and intelligence gathering” on the Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3352919/are-china-and-russia-flexing-their-maritime-muscle-near-japan https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3352919/are-china-and-russia-flexing-their-maritime-muscle-near-japan Fri, 08 May 2026 11:00:06 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi “Balikatan 2026” is meant to reassure allies and deter adversaries. But the military exercise hosted by the Philippines also reveals a harsher truth: the Indo-Pacific is drifting into a security logic in which deterrence no longer contains risk but multiplies it. Every move taken in the name of stability now invites a countermove. Every display of resolve is answered by another. The result is not equilibrium, but a trap. That is why diplomacy has to return to the centre of regional strategy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351382/without-diplomacy-deterrence-asia-path-escalation https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3351382/without-diplomacy-deterrence-asia-path-escalation Mon, 27 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The Chinese military aired footage over the weekend of YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile launches, as joint US-Philippines-Japan drills heighten tensions in the disputed South China Sea. China Military Bugle, a social media account run by the People’s Liberation Army, posted a video on Sunday of the PLA Navy conducting strike tests at sea, including multiple YJ-20 launches. The post did not specify when and where the missiles were fired. However, the footage was released two days after Beijing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3351593/pla-showcases-yj-20-hypersonic-missiles-balikatan-drills-heat-south-china-sea https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3351593/pla-showcases-yj-20-hypersonic-missiles-balikatan-drills-heat-south-china-sea Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:13:09 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Beijing has held naval exercises in waters east of a Philippine island near Taiwan in an apparent response to nearby annual military drills hosted by Manila and Washington. The People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command said on Friday that a naval fleet had “recently” held drills in waters east of Luzon, the northernmost major island of the Philippines. The drills were “a necessary action taken in response to the current regional situation”, said the command, which oversees the South... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3351353/china-stages-navy-drill-us-and-philippines-embark-balikatan-2026 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3351353/china-stages-navy-drill-us-and-philippines-embark-balikatan-2026 Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:29:21 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s military mouthpiece has urged the People’s Liberation Army to speed up integration of artificial intelligence and said AI-driven warfare was at a “turning point” – as seen in the US-Israeli campaign against Iran. In a commentary on Thursday, PLA Daily pointed to the use of AI in the Middle East war and said it was the first time the technology had been integrated into the entire cycle of operations – from analysis of intelligence to target identification, planning and assessment. “This... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3351303/iran-war-shows-strategic-value-ai-chinas-military-pla-daily-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3351303/iran-war-shows-strategic-value-ai-chinas-military-pla-daily-says Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:28 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China’s next-generation “drone-carrier” amphibious assault ship is en route to the South China Sea for critical sea trials, the military announced on Tuesday, in the same waters where the US, the Philippines and Japan are conducting large-scale joint military exercises and the aircraft carrier Liaoning is apparently sailing to. “The Sichuan, our country’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, has set sail from Shanghai for relevant waters in the South China Sea to carry out scientific research... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3350932/chinas-new-type-076-drone-carrier-take-part-south-china-sea-training-drills https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3350932/chinas-new-type-076-drone-carrier-take-part-south-china-sea-training-drills Tue, 21 Apr 2026 21:09:29 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen A Chinese military magazine has suggested that if Taiwan sends a swarm of uncrewed combat boats across the strait – a strategy inspired by Ukraine – Beijing could counter with its GJ-21 stealth attack drones. According to a commentary in Defence Review, the GJ-21 has long endurance and high manoeuvrability, which would give it a critical advantage against a “game changing” swarm attack by unmanned surface vessels. The GJ-21 – a naval variant of the GJ-11 Sharp Sword – is the world’s first and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3350616/how-pla-may-use-stealth-drones-swarming-boat-attack-taiwan https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3350616/how-pla-may-use-stealth-drones-swarming-boat-attack-taiwan Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US military leaders painted a picture of Chinese military threats, spanning Taiwan and space, as they briefed Congress on the military readiness for the financial year 2027 on Wednesday. The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) “invasion rehearsals and live-fire exercises near Taiwan and around the region” had illustrated “the need for combat-ready naval forces in the Indo-Pacific”, according to James Kilby, vice chief of Naval Operations. “[The US Navy therefore] remains committed to partnering and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350232/china-threat-used-convince-congress-need-bolster-us-military-capabilities https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350232/china-threat-used-convince-congress-need-bolster-us-military-capabilities Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:08:57 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The People’s Liberation Army division responsible for the East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait carried out a decontamination exercise amid targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States and Israel. A recent training exercise at an Eastern Theatre Command naval base included an emergency response to a simulated nuclear attack, according to a report on Tuesday by state broadcaster CCTV, which did not specify the time or location of the drill. The exercise focused on rapid detection... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3349361/pla-troops-facing-taiwan-strait-and-japan-simulate-response-nuclear-attack https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3349361/pla-troops-facing-taiwan-strait-and-japan-simulate-response-nuclear-attack Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The People’s Liberation Army has upgraded its ageing tanks for a potential Taiwan operation, equipping them with a system to counter drone attacks and anti-tank missiles, according to state media. Type 96A main battle tanks with the GL-6 active protection system, or APS, installed were shown in video footage released by official newspaper China Youth Daily on Monday. The tanks belong to the 71st Group Army unit under the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command, which is mainly responsible for possible... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3348816/pla-upgrades-ageing-tanks-protection-system-potential-taiwan-operation https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3348816/pla-upgrades-ageing-tanks-protection-system-potential-taiwan-operation Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen A pair of advanced destroyers kicked off an intensive and wide-ranging training exercise soon after they were assigned to the People’s Liberation Army division that oversees Taiwan and the East China Sea. The newly commissioned 12,000-tonne guided-missile destroyers, the Dongguan and Anqing, took part in their first live-fire training in mid-March, simulating high-intensity combat missions, the official PLA Daily reported on Sunday. The Type 055 “super destroyers” are the first of their kind in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3347726/new-type-055-destroyers-pla-east-china-fleet-tested-first-live-fire-drill https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3347726/new-type-055-destroyers-pla-east-china-fleet-tested-first-live-fire-drill Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:12:05 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Chinese and Vietnamese personnel will carry out a joint naval patrol and training exercise in the Gulf of Tonkin this week, extending a practice that has continued despite long-standing competing maritime claims. The joint manoeuvres will take place as part of the China-Vietnam Border Defence Friendship Exchange, which will include medical and cultural exchange events, China’s defence ministry said on Sunday. They will be conducted in waters off China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346656/joint-patrols-china-vietnam-steers-course-between-two-powers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346656/joint-patrols-china-vietnam-steers-course-between-two-powers Sun, 15 Mar 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A former fighter pilot in the United States Air Force, once entrusted with flying some of America’s most advanced combat aircraft, has been arrested for allegedly training pilots from China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) without authorisation, the US Department of Justice said. In a press release on Wednesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged that 65-year-old Gerald Eddie Brown Jr., also known by his call sign “Runner”, was taken into custody in Jeffersonville, Indiana,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3344792/former-us-air-force-fighter-pilot-accused-secretly-training-chinese-military https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3344792/former-us-air-force-fighter-pilot-accused-secretly-training-chinese-military Thu, 26 Feb 2026 22:19:03 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen With the unveiling of the long-range hypersonic CJ-1000 missiles, China has surpassed the United States in the critical race to field practical scramjet propulsion systems, according to a mainland military magazine. Alongside the ship-launched YJ-19, the CJ-1000 road-mobile cruise missile was one of two hypersonic missiles powered by advanced air-breathing scramjet engines on show during the Victory Day military parade in Beijing in September last year. They are the world’s only two operational... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3343917/how-china-overtook-us-hypersonic-arms-and-may-leave-air-defences-powerless https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3343917/how-china-overtook-us-hypersonic-arms-and-may-leave-air-defences-powerless Wed, 18 Feb 2026 22:00:35 +0000