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China’s military

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China’s military
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.
A visitor walks in front of the Alibaba booth during the third China International Supply Chain Expo at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing in July 2025. Photo: AP
US-China relations

Breaking | US adds Alibaba, BYD and other Chinese tech champions to military company blacklist

Trump administration has designated top China firms as ‘Chinese military companies’ operating in the United States.

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US-China relations

Opinion | What does a ‘strong, quiet, clear’ US mean for China and Asia?

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China's military weapons

China’s futuristic stealth sub to boost ‘hunt-and-kill’ capabilities: experts

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War and conflict

Opinion | Asia has to learn the lessons of war while it still can

The time to learn is before the fire reaches the house. Every war forces us to ask: if this logic came to our region, what would we do?

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China's military weapons

China’s PL-15 missile has downed Rafale jets. Is the PL-16 even more powerful?

An unverified briefing slide has emerged with details of the new weapon, weeks after an image appeared of America’s AIM-260.

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China’s aircraft carriers

Why do China and other powers still want aircraft carriers?

Submarines and drones are ‘the story of naval warfare in the 21st century’ but carriers continue to be an important symbol of military might.

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US-China relations

US and China hold ‘candid’ maritime military safety talks in Hawaii

Officials discussed ways to avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations during encounters between their forces.

Beijing says US military patrols and exercises with allies in the South China Sea threaten regional stability. Photo: Reuters
China's military weapons

Gu Songfen, pioneering designer of Chinese supersonic fighter jets, dies at 96

The aerodynamics expert was the chief designer of the Shenyang J-8 and a recipient of China’s most prestigious science award.

US-China relations

Hegseth tones down China rhetoric on return to Asia

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth adopted a noticeably less hostile tone towards China in his address at this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue.

US-China relations

Shangri-La Dialogue: what China, US and Japan said

Speeches by the US, Chinese and Japanese delegates to the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Photo: Singapore’s Ministry of Defence
China's military weapons

Is PLA’s response to Dutch warship ‘putting down a marker’ in South China Sea?

Chinese military has claimed for the first time that it used ‘electronic countermeasures’ when the frigate entered disputed waters.

The Dutch frigate De Ruyter was involved in the confrontation near the contested Paracel Islands. Photo: AFP
China-UK relations

Exclusive | Chinese, UK delegations discuss military engagement at Shangri-La Dialogue

Major General Meng Xiangqing invites British military officials to Xiangshan Forum and Zhuhai air show in China.

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China’s coastguard

China slams ‘provocative acts’ after driving Dutch warship away from Paracels

PLA says it used electronic interference and warnings against Dutch frigate as tensions widen in South China Sea.

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South China Sea

As allies boost Taiwan Strait transits, why is the US going a different route?

Chinese think tank notes the changing risks: ‘China will inevitably respond, and that makes the overall situation appear more tense’.

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A Chinese think tank says a shift in US transits through Taiwan Strait is consistent with broader trends in China-US military interactions since their 2023 leadership summit. Photo:AP
Dong Jun

China defence chief Dong Jun tipped to skip this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue

The regional security forum opens on Friday in Singapore with no official word yet on who will lead the Chinese delegation.

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Dong Jun pictured at last year’s Asean-China defence ministers’ lunch in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AFP
United Nations

China boosts peacekeeping budget share amid warnings UN may be sidelined

SIPRI says Beijing’s participation in such UN missions helps ‘project an image of itself as a responsible major power’.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

What to expect from this week’s Trump 2.0 visit to Beijing

Nearly a decade after his first-term visit, Trump returns to Beijing amid tensions over tariffs, Taiwan and tech rivalry.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Could military AI use be on the agenda when Chinese and US leaders meet?

The technology has become increasingly important for militaries around the world, but the two sides may struggle to reach a consensus.

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Donald Trump is expected to visit China later this week. Photo: Reuters
China's military weapons

Does YJ-20 hypersonic sea-based missile give China an edge over US carriers?

The highly manoeuvrable weapon is nearly invulnerable to interception and could sink an aircraft carrier with a single hit.

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China's military weapons

China unveils new naval defence systems as drones change nature of war at sea

The PLA has been working to improve its defences after the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East highlighted the threat of anti-ship drones.

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US-China relations

Exiting China market a ‘self-inflicted wound’ for US tech, think tank warns

ITIF argues that regional sales help finance domestic R&D and block local rivals, while warning that a full exit would be a self-inflicted wound to innovation leadership.

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Visitors take pictures and videos of a human-like robot head on display at the Humanoid Robots Industry Base in Beijing’s Shougang Park on April 28. Photo: AP
Diplomacy

Opinion | Without diplomacy, deterrence in Asia is a path to escalation

The danger is that every state insists it is acting defensively while collectively building the habits and infrastructure of confrontation.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China's military weapons

PLA showcases YJ-20 anti-ship missiles as US-Japan-Philippines test war moves

Video of PLA Navy strike tests emerges as US, allies take part in Balikatan 2026, marking Japan’s first-ever operational role in the drills.

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China's military weapons

Did China just hint that its next aircraft carrier will be nuclear-powered?

A video released to mark the PLA Navy’s anniversary uses wordplay to suggest that a new warship is under construction.

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Artificial intelligence

Iran war shows ‘strategic value’ of AI for China’s military, PLA Daily says

Commentary calls it ‘inevitable’ and necessary for PLA to embrace artificial intelligence to gain the advantage in future warfare.

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China’s military mouthpiece said AI-driven warfare was at a “turning point”. Image: Shutterstock
US-China relations

Chinese student charged with illegally taking photos of US military planes

Student taken into custody after allegedly photographing sensitive military aircraft near key air force base in Nebraska during US road trip.

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The US Air Force’s E-4B Nightwatch plane can act as a “flying Pentagon” in the case of a national emergency. Photo: Handout
US-China relations

Trump’s military push confronts US lawmakers and China’s shipbuilding edge

Congressional resistance, war costs and industrial limits could constrain ambitions, even as Beijing expands its naval capacity.

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China's military weapons

How the PLA may use stealth drones in a swarming boat attack from Taiwan

Beijing could send in GJ-21s – which have long endurance and high manoeuvrability – to counter uncrewed combat boats, military magazine says.

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