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China's military weapons

China's military weapons
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.
Open Questions series

Economist James Heckman on the value of risk-taking, and China’s ‘common goal’

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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Illustration: Henry Wong

Economist James Heckman on the value of risk-taking, and China’s ‘common goal’

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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Illustration: Henry Wong
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Asia defence spending
US-China relations

Asia defence spending

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Asian allies to raise military spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP at the 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, saying that countries could no longer “free ride” on American taxpayers.

US, Israel war on Iran

Did the Iran war just prove that China’s ageing DF-15Bs are still big guns?

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Fujian Type 003 aircraft carrier

PLA’s advanced carrier Fujian transits Taiwan Strait amid military drills

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China’s aircraft carriers

What is China’s aircraft carrier Liaoning testing – and why does it matter?

Forty days of training in South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean comes amid a push for extended range and amphibious coordination.

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The Liaoning aircraft carrier strike group is said to have returned to its home port in Qingdao, Shandong province, on Monday, after completing more than 40 days of far-sea combat training. Photo: CCTV
Mainland China

Red Hawk rising: how the Z-20 helicopter family plugs China’s defence gaps

Modern technology has put the multi-role utility helicopter ahead of the original Black Hawk, making it an anchor of the PLA’s new air era.

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Hypersonic missiles and weapons

What signal is China sending with footage of DF-17 hypersonic missile launches?

State broadcaster CCTV shows the first footage of the weapons being fired at a training camp somewhere in the Gobi Desert.

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UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

China showcases portable laser weapons for a single soldier to shoot down drones

3-day defence equipment and tech expo in Beijing features Lijian series of high-energy lasers among displays of drone and anti-drone systems.

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The Lijian III can burn a drone within 4 seconds and needs less than 5 seconds to cool down before firing the next laser, according to its manufacturer. Photo: Handout
Norinco

China showcases anti-drone air defences at Paris show as conflict fuels demand

Many of the systems on display at Norinco’s Eurosatory stand have been designed to counter smaller aerial threats.

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UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

Is Beijing planning to make more drones overseas for Middle Eastern buyers?

Norinco displaying a model assembly line at a top defence exhibition could mean the firm hopes to make more weapons overseas.

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Australia

China’s direct strike threat to Australia is ‘growing’, think tank report finds

A Lowy Institute report said the main threat to Australia was from Chinese missiles fired from ships, submarines and a new ballistic missile.

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The Chinese People’s Liberation Army launches an intercontinental ballistic missile with a dummy warhead into the Pacific Ocean in 2024. Photo: Chinese People’s Liberation Army News and Communication Centre / AFP
China’s military drills

China’s navy has missiles and drones. Why is it bringing back the ‘big guns’?

A new 155mm naval gun is said to be in development and it could provide firepower support for a future attack on Taiwan.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Artificial intelligence

China’s military warned against ‘dangers of AI sycophancy’ on the battlefield

PLA mouthpiece calls for action to counter the ‘severe threat’ of artificial intelligence models altering the facts to match user biases.

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Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

China’s nuclear stockpile growing as disarmament era ends: SIPRI

Swedish think-tank says Beijing now has 620 nuclear warheads and may be increasing deployment as New Start’s expiry ends arms control era.

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China-Japan relations

China urged to fast-track carrier fleet upgrades as Japan boosts strike power

A potential gap that China’s carrier strike groups ‘need to address is the limited number of stealth fighters’, former PLA Navy officer says.

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A J-15 fighter jet takes off from the PLA Navy aircraft carrier Shandong. China’s two older aircraft carriers are expected to become able to operate the J-35 stealth fighter, like the newest Fujian. Photo: Handout
Taiwan

Beijing deploys new missiles matching Patriots opposite Taiwan

State broadcaster CCTV shows troops from the Fujian-based 73rd Army Group testing the new missiles in the Gobi Desert.

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The state broadcaster aired footage of a missile test on Friday. Photo: CCTV
China military reform

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

Satellite images show the vessel under construction has a ‘finless’ design that could improve its manoeuvrability and speed.

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China’s military

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 military

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.

From the Shenyang J-8 (left) to the next-generation J-36, Chinese fighter design has undergone a massive technological transformation. Photo composite: Wikipedia/Max Smith
Russia

How China’s home-grown WS-10 engine helped make the country a modern air power

The PLA’s first domestically developed high-thrust turbofan engine continues to play a crucial role 20 years on from its debut.

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South China Sea

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.

China-India relations

Why Bangladesh could raise Indian red flags by buying a China-Pakistan fighter jet

Dhaka could be boosting its air power with the reported acquisition of a JF-17 flight simulator.

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Bangladesh's acquisition of a simulator for the JF-17 Thunder signals “serious intent to field modern fighters”, an observer says. Photo: Handout
China’s navy

Is China building the world’s largest naval support ship?

Photos of a giant hull released by state-owned shipbuilder trigger speculation that the vessel will be used to supply carrier groups.

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The hull was pictured in the background of the shipyard. Photo: qq.com
China’s aircraft carriers

Could all of China’s aircraft carriers soon operate J-35 stealth fighters?

Only one vessel can now host the cutting-edge jet, but satellite images and state media hints indicate that might be changing.

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Qatar

China’s J-10CE jets defeat Eurofighters 9-0 in mock battles, CCTV confirms

While state broadcaster does not identify the drill, details appear to match a 2024 exercise in Qatar involving Pakistan.

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China’s military drills

Can PLA training catch up with China’s rapid weapon development?

‘No matter how advanced the equipment is, if people cannot effectively operate it, it remains nothing more than cold steel’: PLA Daily.

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A PLA Daily article says some Chinese military units have not done enough personnel-equipment integration and some have not devoted enough effort to cultivating specialised talent. Photo: Xinhua
South China Sea

Can AI-assisted unmanned vessels be Beijing’s answer to South China Sea patrols?

Near-silent autonomous surveillance vessels that can keep going for months on end recommended for Chinese maritime enforcement.

Chinese researchers have envisaged how uncrewed surface vessels could patrol distant waters and around near-sea islands and reefs. Photo: Xinhua
UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

Underwater anti-mine technology takes centre stage at Chinese defence show

The Chengdu Defence Technology Industry Expo showcases advanced equipment, including submarine-launched drones.

China-Japan relations

Are China and Russia flexing their maritime muscle near Japan?

Tokyo’s recent tracking of three PLA Navy warships transiting Tsushima Strait comes amid heightened regional tensions.

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