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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

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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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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
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Venezuela had Chinese JY-27A radar systems among its air defences but the US military blinded and disrupted its defences to attack and abduct Nicolas Maduro at the weekend. Photo: Weibo
US-Venezuela conflict

Venezuela attack seen as reminder for China to boost air defence, intelligence

Lessons for Beijing include the need to upgrade hardware, protect state secrets and prevent infiltration, experts say.

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Mainland China

What if China’s KJ-600 aircraft could serve older carriers as well as Fujian?

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Taiwan

Just how close did a PLA drone come to the heart of Taipei during drill?

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China military reform

Is China’s truck-mounted catapult system enabling merchant aircraft carriers?

Scalable truck-based launch track pictured on modified cargo ship raises questions about drone war potential.

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Three trucks linked to form what appears to be a launch track for large drones have been spotted at a dock in China. Photo: Handout
Taiwan

Was PLA’s Taiwan drill testing ‘inexpensive’ ways to wear down air defences?

The drills were on a larger scale than previous ones and featured the use of rocket systems that could give mainland Chinese forces an edge.

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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.

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China’s military drills

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

Chinese military’s recently unveiled longest-range missile appears to be nearing mass production.

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The Chinese military released footage on Sunday of the YJ-20 hypersonic missile in a test launch from a Type 055 destroyer. Photo: China Military Bugle
Taiwan

Video | PLA conducts second day of drills around Taiwan

Troops simulate attacks on maritime targets and conduct anti-air and anti-submarine operations to the north and south of the island.

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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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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The prototype modular electric-drive heavy-duty truck. Photo: Tsinghua University
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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Known as the “Flying Shark”, the J-15 is China’s first domestically developed twin-engined heavy carrier-based fighter jet. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS
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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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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US President Donald Trump announces plans for a new class of warships bearing his name at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday. Photo: AFP
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.

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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Satellite images indicate the Fujian and the Liaoning have docked in Qingdao, Shandong province. Photo: X/CHINAPLA1
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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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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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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Illustration: Henry Wong
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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A surveillance photograph of the Fujian shows no sign of carrier-based aircraft on the vessel’s flight deck during the transit. Photo: Taiwanese Ministry of National Defence
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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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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The Type 99B main battle tank has been designed for improved performance at high altitudes, according to state television. Photo: CCTV
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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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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