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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

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

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

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

7
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

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

videocam
5
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

videocam
18
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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

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93
Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

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29
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Chinese ships patrol as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducts military drills on Pingtan island, in eastern China’s Fujian province, the closest point to Taiwan, on December 30, 2025. Photo: AFP
Taiwan

Editorial | Powerful PLA drill shows US arms sales don’t help Taiwan Strait stability

As the US risks sending the wrong signal to Taiwan, Beijing has responded with an unambiguous warning against the island moving towards independence.

China’s military drills

China’s ‘carrier killer’ hypersonic missile YJ-20 in final testing: video

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Taiwan

Video | PLA conducts second day of drills around Taiwan

US-China relations

‘No worries’: Trump plays down Beijing’s military drills around Taiwan

Trump dismisses ‘routine’ drills in Taiwan Strait even as US arms sales hit record high and Pentagon repeats 2027 timeline.

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US President Donald Trump spoke about China’s military drills around Taiwan during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Monday. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
Science

China builds world-first crab-walking electric ICBM mobile launcher prototype

In less than two years, scientists have developed a technology that ‘fundamentally overturns’ conventional heavy-vehicle design.

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China’s aircraft carriers

A look at China’s ‘Flying Shark’ J-15 jet that made waves near Japan

Fighter in service for more than a decade often patrols potential conflict hotspots including the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

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Pakistan

China-Pakistan jet deal with Libyan group ‘may help expand Beijing’s influence’

The agreement will supply the Libyan National Army with 16 fourth-generation JF-17 fighters.

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The JF-17 jet was jointly developed by China and Pakistan. Photo: AP
Hong Kong

Is China quietly preparing cargo ships to transform into military vessels?

Containers bear the words ‘plan for the maritime revival of the Chinese nation and the community of shared future for mankind in the ocean’.

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US-China relations

Will Trump’s battleship plan deter China or is it just a pipe dream?

Donald Trump unveils new class of ship meant to ‘inspire fear in America’s enemies’, but analysts say the initiative faces huge hurdles.

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China’s Communist Party

4 Chinese defence firm chiefs among 8 sacked from top advisory body CPPCC

National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference endorsed removals at meeting on Wednesday, Xinhua reports.

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CPPCC members are the latest to fall from grace amid China’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign that has led to the removal of dozens of top generals and senior executives. Photo: EPA-EFE
SCMP Highlights

Fujian enters service, J-10C impresses: 10 China military developments in 2025

From hardware on show at China’s military parade to anti-drone systems, here are some of the year’s most notable People’s Liberation Army stories.

The Fujian, China’s newest aircraft carrier, is commissioned on November 5 in Sanya, Hainan province. Photo: Xinhua
UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

‘Saturation attacks’: drone swarms key for wartime victory, PLA Daily says

Concentrated UAV swarms seen to allow ‘optimal combat effectiveness with minimal battlefield expenditure’.

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China’s aircraft carriers

Is China’s Fujian gearing up for a dual aircraft carrier exercise?

Satellite images indicate the vessel has docked with the Liaoning at a naval base in the country’s east.

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Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign

Chinese military tightens review of weapons pricing to fight corruption

CMC Equipment Development Department releases new rules amid push for quality equipment and ‘professional ethics’.

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New procurement rules for the Chinese military dictate that troops should receive weapons and equipment that are combat-oriented, high quality and offer advanced performance. Photo: Xinhua
US-China relations

Opinion | Mark 2025. It’s the year China became a peer power to America

China not only forced a trade war backdown, it displayed its hi-tech military might from the waters off Australia to the skies near Japan.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China military reform

Why China’s rapid military build-up is ‘hardly the whole story’

The PLA has been moving fast to modernise its arsenal and warfare strategy, but it’s seen as ‘seriously deficient’ in some areas.

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China’s aircraft carriers

PLA’s Fujian aircraft carrier transits Taiwan Strait as Taipei watches closely

Island’s defence ministry says vessel’s passage through the waterway showed ‘no military intent’ and no aircraft were seen on its deck.

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China’s air force

Are these the first images of China’s new military transport plane in flight?

Photos and videos appear to show the maiden flight of the aircraft that is likely to become the PLA’s main workhorse in future.

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Pictures of the new aircraft have circulated online. Photo: Weibo/ 司马平邦
UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

China’s latest stealth endurance drone, CH-7, completes maiden flight

Designer says UAV can quickly penetrate target areas for reconnaissance and rely on stealth to send information from battle front lines.

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China’s military drills

Chinese tank, upgraded for high altitudes, could be sent to border with India

The Type 99B has been designed for ‘rapid and sustained combat operations’ in areas like the Himalayas, according to state media.

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US-China relations

Is China testing drone subs that could threaten US west coast or Panama Canal?

Evidence points to the development of XXL vessels that provide a ‘low-risk’ option for attacking key sites, according to a US defence website.

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Chinese underwater drones featured at a military parade in Beijing in September, but the new models may be twice their size. Photo: Handout
China-South Korea relations

Why South Korea poses a major challenge to China’s Middle East arms export drive

Both neighbours hope to expand exports to the region, but the Koreans may be better placed due to systems integration and political concerns.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

China’s drone carrier Jiu Tian takes flight to signal PLA swarm capacity boost

Xinhua hails ‘breakthrough in China’s large drone technology’, says Jiu Tian could also be deployed in wide range of civilian applications.

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Mainland China

Video | China reveals radio comms with Japan over aerial encounter

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said radar activation is ‘standard practice’ for flight safety.

China-Japan relations

China ‘did tell Japan about air drills but not in enough detail to avoid danger’

Both sides have been trading barbs following a stand-off between fighters during Saturday’s training exercise involving the Liaoning carrier.

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A Chinese J-15 fighter jet prepares to land on the Liaoning aircraft carrier in this photo released in December 2021. China has released more details about Saturday’s mid-air stand-off between Chinese and Japanese fighter jets. Photo: AP
China-New Zealand relations

7 Chinese warships followed our navy vessel in East Asia, New Zealand says

Wellington says ship was to carry out surveillance and deterrence activities to bolster UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea.

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The HMNZS Aotearoa, a Polar-class replenishment vessel of the New Zealand Navy, was deployed to the East China and Yellow seas with allies in November. Photo: Handout via Reuters
Liaoning aircraft carrier

Why is China piling on the pressure on Japan with increasing naval operations?

Japanese analysis indicates Chinese fighters locked onto jets from a distance of about 52km during first encounter and 148km during second.

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US-China relations

US Congress unveils bill with curbs on China tech investment and biotech ties

NDAA package revives stalled measures on US outbound investment and biotech, signalling Capitol Hill’s hardened stance towards Beijing.

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