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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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4
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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5
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
DF-61 intercontinental ballistic missiles take part in a Beijing military parade last September to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender. Photo: AP
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

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Taiwan

Beijing deploys new missiles matching Patriots opposite Taiwan

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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 has put a greater emphasis on underwater warfare, as its combat philosophy shifts from surface warfare to underwater stealth, an analyst says. Photo: AFP
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.

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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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The engine has been used to power J-10 fighter jets and enabled their export to countries such as Pakistan. Photo: Handout
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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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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Analysts say it is highly likely that China’s older two carriers will receive the upgrades needed to host the J-35 stealth fighters. Photo: Xinhua
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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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.

Robot dogs were among the weapons on display. Photo: CCTV
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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India-Pakistan tensions

China confirms it helped Pakistan’s air force during last year’s war with India

Engineers tell state media they offered technical support during conflict that saw an Indian-owned Rafale downed by a Chinese-made fighter.

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India-Pakistan tensions

Chinese J-35 stealth jets set to give Pakistan a strategic edge over India

India has a much larger fleet of 4.5-generation fighters but is lagging behind Pakistan in the acquisition of stealth warplanes.

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The J-35A fighter jet appears during a CCTV report on Shenyang Aircraft Corporation on May 1. Photo: CCTV
Artificial intelligence

Private firms can help stop sanctions ‘strangling’ China’s military: general

The authorities should give companies a greater voice in civilian-military collaboration, PLA Major General Zhang Zhan argues.

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Mainland China

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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US, Israel war on Iran

Will new Saudi-Pakistan defence pact give Chinese arms risk-free exposure?

Islamabad’s elevated stature in Middle East security could make it ‘the operational face of Chinese defence systems’ via regional deployment.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

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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Footage of the “finalisation test” was broadcast on state television. Photo: CCTV
AVIC

Has China given the first sign it’s ready to export J-35A fighter to Pakistan?

State media shows J-35A model bearing AVIC logo rolling out of the hangar, the English lettering hinting it is an export model.

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Mainland China

Pakistan commissions first Chinese submarine in ‘historic milestone’ for navy

President and naval chief attend ceremony in Sanya for the advanced Hangor-class vessel as the two countries step up defence cooperation.

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Taiwan

Why Beijing’s weaponised cargo ship could be crucial in the Taiwan Strait

Beijing’s ‘containerised destroyer’ can carry missile launchers and hide within commercial shipping lanes, military magazine says.

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The Zhong Da 79 is a medium-sized civilian cargo ship capable of carrying containerised vertical missile launchers, radar sensors and self-defence systems. Photo: Handout
US-China relations

Trump’s Golden Dome targets China’s ‘hypersonic weapons, cruise missiles’

US president’s US$185 billion missile defence shield to counter Chinese, Russian missile arsenals, a senior Pentagon official told Congress.

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The Trump administration’s Golden Dome concept is expected to identify incoming projectiles, calculate their trajectories, and deploy interceptor missiles to destroy them mid-flight. Photo: Lockheed Martin
Hypersonic missiles and 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

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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