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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.
Experts say China has tested a variant of the YJ-18A anti-ship cruise missile with a black stealth coating that will improve the penetration of the ship-launched missile. Photo: CCTV
China's military weapons

Did the Chinese navy fire a radar-absorbing YJ-18A anti-ship missile in sea trial?

Black radar-absorbing finish on upgraded ship-launched weapon would improve penetration and visual camouflage over deep water, say analysts.

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China’s rocket force

China seeks public tips on procurement violations in PLA Rocket Force probe

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Mainland China

Be wary of defence contractors, Chinese study warns, pointing to US system

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Science

China’s J-36 fighter jet designers report danger of military AI hallucinations

Content generated by artificial intelligence models can ‘defy basic physics, design principles or operational constraints’.

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China’s next-generation stealth fighter is unofficially known as the Chengdu J-36. Photo: X / Rupprecht_A
US-China relations

Harvard, MIT among 30 US universities ordered to audit China research ties

Higher education group says Pentagon implied wrongdoing without presenting evidence, as House China committee calls for ‘real consequences’.

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China’s military drills

PLA troops sent New Taiwan and US dollars in ‘wartime financial support’ drill

A drone was used to deliver camouflage cases filled with gold bars and bundles of cash, according to state newspaper report.

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US-China relations

Pentagon orders 30 US universities to scrutinise Chinese research ties

Institutions have two weeks to audit foreign collaborations and could be required to terminate partnerships to preserve federal funding.

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The Pentagon said universities receiving taxpayer funding must meet strict research-security standards or risk losing future support. Photo: US Department of Defence
US-China relations

Chinese drone maker DJI gets another shot at Pentagon blacklist removal

Latest ruling gives Shenzhen-based company hope after years-long legal battle with the US Department of Defence.

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China's military weapons

Could new transport-tanker capability boost PLA power past first island chain?

Convertible Y-20B aircraft give PLA Air Force operational flexibility to project power deeper into the western Pacific.

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Science

China is sending scientists to Iran for rare earth ‘exploration and processing’

Chinese and Iranian natural science foundations include the strategically sensitive metals in this year’s joint workshop programme.

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A display of rare earth elements at the National Museum in Beijing. China holds the largest reserves of the metals in the world. Photo: Reuters
China’s military drills

Chinese paratrooper killed in Qinghai exercise as PLA acknowledges casualties

Death of 23-year-old was one of two parachute-related incidents in consecutive months recently made public by the PLA.

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Chinese media say paratrooper Xia Shiyuan, from Huaiyuan county in eastern Anhui province, encountered an emergency shortly after leaving his mid-air aircraft during a scheduled exercise in Golmud, Qinghai province, on May 27. Photo: Weibo/合新闻
2026 Xi-Trump summits

Why did US defence official Colby avoid mentioning China in Manila speech?

Some analysts attribute the restraint to a desire to avoid antagonising Beijing ahead of next month’s expected Xi-Trump summit.

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China's military weapons

Why submarine attacks may prove the Achilles’ heel for China’s new carrier fleet

The PLA Navy is still lagging behind the US in undersea warfare, according to a report highlighting some of its ongoing vulnerabilities.

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US-China relations

US judge blocks Pentagon’s ‘Chinese military’ label for WuXi AppTec

Court finds defence officials misread evidence involving a state-linked fund, Chinese universities and a PLA hospital.

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WuXi AppTec is one of China’s largest pharmaceutical research and manufacturing services companies. Photo: Handout
China’s air force

Chinese military unveils AI system to plan and coordinate mass air strikes

The support system is designed to support exercises involving ‘hundreds of targets and dozens of formations’, according to state media.

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The documentary said the system could coordinate multiple strikes. Photo: CCTV
Mainland China

Chinese pilot who landed safely after cabin leak given first-class merit award

PLA Navy flier Yang Yong tells state broadcaster he was forced to stay at altitude for several minutes despite the extreme danger he faced.

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China's military weapons

China’s military modernisation

Chinese President Xi Jinping is boosting the nation’s defence capabilities ahead of the 2027 centenary of the People’s Liberation Army, overseeing improvements in hardware and high-level purges of generals.

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The People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

PLA 99th Anniversary

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.

People’s Liberation Army guards of honour march in Beijing at a September 2025 military parade marking the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II. Photo: Xinhua
China military reform

The PLA at 99: how China’s military went from ragtag rifles to world-class force

From revolutionary group to hi-tech machine, the PLA’s transformation has been a long pursuit of strength and self-reliance.

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China’s military drills

Could US subterranean warfare be a future threat to China’s military defences?

Underground warfare could challenge China’s early-warning reliance on satellites and ground-based radars, think tank says.

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US-China relations

Open Questions | Ex-PLA colonel on US’ decline and China’s nuclear arsenal

Zhou Bo of Tsinghua University weighs US’ commitment to Taiwan, how big a nuclear deterrent China needs and the risks of AI warfare.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Defence

How Trump’s call for Asia-Pacific allies to raise defence spending may backfire

The president hopes his demands will benefit the US defence industry but analysts believe local arms makers may be the main beneficiaries.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
US-China relations

Pentagon official hails ‘stronger’ military ties with PLA at anniversary event

Speaking at the Chinese embassy, US deputy assistant defence secretary Alvaro Smith says ‘clear, steady progress’ is being made.

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Taiwan

Why PLA jet sorties near Taiwan dropped to a 3-year low in first half of 2026

Beijing is shifting cross-strait military strategy, halving aerial missions and increasing coastguard patrols in the waters near the island.

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Taiwan

Beijing conducts live-fire drills in Taiwan Strait after criticising Lai speech

Beginning of exercise coincides with completion of Beijing’s fisheries resources survey conducted in waters east of Taiwan.

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The People’s Liberation Army will conduct live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait from 6am to 6pm on Thursday and Friday, according to a mainland navigation warning. Photo: File picture/CCTV
US-China relations

Trump order targets China-linked military mineral supply chains

US defence contractors must identify critical mineral sources and reduce dependence on Beijing-linked materials.

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US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. Photo: EPA
China-Latin America relations

US claims 3 China-linked spy sites in Cuba monitoring American military activity

State Department report alleges Beijing and Moscow regard Cuba-based facilities as among their ‘most critical foreign listening posts’.

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China's military weapons

Opinion | China’s missile test from a submarine is no guarantee of regional stability

Beijing’s ICBM test from a nuclear-powered submarine is a win from a defence perspective but comes with greater responsibilities.

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