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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

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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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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
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
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

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Mainland China

Video | China reveals radio comms with Japan over aerial encounter

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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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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Lawmakers in both the US House of Representatives and Senate have two weeks left before they go out of session until January. Photo: Reuters
Science

Chinese team reports way to extract hypersonic weapon fuel boron from seawater

Inspired by ‘novel sustainable technology’ research, the team designs a single, powerful system using solar energy for extraction.

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China’s military drills

PLA holds urban warfare drill as Taipei looks to boost ‘asymmetric capabilities’

State television report showing operation in war-torn city airs soon after Taiwanese leader proposed extra US$40 billion in defence spending.

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China-Australia relations

Australia on high alert as PLA Navy fleet in Philippine Sea sails south

Type 075 amphibious attack ship triggers concern in Canberra after Chinese navy’s unprecedented circumnavigation of Australia this year.

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The Hainan is China’s first 40,000-tonne landing helicopter dock and was commissioned in 2021. It has been leading a naval fleet in the Philippine Sea this week, triggering a response from Australia. Photo: Eugene Lee
Drones

China’s unmanned Moyujian strike helicopter is ready for plateau combat tests

At Aero Asia in Zhuhai, developer says it put high-altitude drone with missiles through live-fire target tests above 4,000 metres.

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The Moyujian’s next round of testing will be “a target test mission using satellite communication and beyond visual line of sight control, at an altitude of over 6,000 metres”. Photo: CCTV
China military reform

Is China’s rapid anti-submarine drone progress adding to concerns of Japan, US?

After decades within the confines of the first island chain, the PLA Navy is unveiling a succession of game-changing advances.

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Science

China’s ‘dirt cheap’ missiles could shake up global defence market: state media

The ‘cement-coated’ YKJ-1000 could prove ‘formidably competitive’ internationally if sold at the relatively cheap price of US$99,000.

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Science

‘Real Steel’: PLA unveils motion-controlled combat robot to 13 countries

Chinese and foreign military cadets test bomb disposal robot using voice commands and discuss ethical boundaries of AI in war: state media.

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Cadets from China and foreign militaries view a robot at the PLA Army Engineering University during the 12th International Army Cadets Week from November 3 to 9. Photo: Handout
Taiwan

PLA’s drone carrier on fast track to deployment with apparent second sea trial

A vessel believed to be the Sichuan, a key asset for potential amphibious operations against Taiwan, departs Shanghai shipyard.

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China’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, sets sail from a shipyard in Shanghai on November 14 for its first sea trial. Photo: Xinhua
China military reform

China’s scandal-hit arms firms drag down regional sales in record-breaking year

SIPRI Top 100 reveals stark divide in performance for the only region to record a drop in the midst of rising revenues globally.

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F-35 stealth fighter jets

China takes on US and Russia as it touts J-35 fighter jet in the Middle East

Chinese fifth-generation fighter could draw interest from those seeking fast delivery and fewer political constraints on their purchases.

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Open Questions series

Open Questions | Ex-PLA colonel on Taiwan, the Ukraine war, China-US ties

Zhou Bo ponders Japanese PM Takaichi’s recent remarks, lessons from the Ukraine conflict and why China won’t be world’s policeman.

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
China’s military

China has minimal nuclear arsenal, seeks no arms race with US: white paper

Document criticises Trump’s planned Golden Dome system, saying it would ‘pose a serious threat to outer space security’.

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War and conflict

Opinion | Why advances in conventional weapons tech should worry China, Russia and US

Washington, Beijing and Moscow must realise that rapid expansion of precision non-nuclear strike capabilities does not deter war, but instead invites miscalculation.

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Science

How Cleopatra’s bath loofah may help PLA jets to vanish from space radars

From ancient royal baths to future stealth warfare – a humble kitchen vegetable may hold the key to defeating space-based radar hunters.

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Organic Luffa Cylindrica, better known as a loofah, is a gourd vegetable that Chinese scientists say could be turned into stealth coating to make advanced aircraft invisible. Photo: Getty
Science

Chinese civilian firm starts mass production of Mach 7 missiles at low cost

Beijing-based Lingkong Tianxing Technology releases video showing the YKJ-1000 striking a target in a desert testing range.

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An animation released by Lingkong Tianxing Technology shows eight missiles flying in formation towards Japan. Photo: Handout
China’s aircraft carriers

Top honours for engineers spotlight China’s gains in military technology

Researchers elevated to national academy for contributions to plane engines and carrier launch system.

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China military reform

China’s military eases physical requirements for pilots based on new cockpits

Changes have been made to height, weight and limb length criteria, taking into account factors like aircraft upgrades, PLA Daily says.

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China’s military drills

China’s JL-1 missile beats US rivals, but will launch platform hold it back?

The air-launched missile completes China’s nuclear triad and could pose a threat to Alaska, but it has limitations, defence magazine says.

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China’s JL-1 missile makes its debut at the Victory Day military parade in Beijing on September 3. Photo: VCG/VCG via Getty Images
UAE

China’s aerospace giants ride hi-tech boost to drive sales at global air shows

Fighter jets, drones and a performance by L-15 training jets among the Chinese tech displayed at this year’s Dubai Airshow.

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A full-scale model of a Chinese Wing Loong-X UAV is displayed on November 17, the opening day of the Dubai Airshow 2025. Photo: AFP
Science

Chief scientist at China’s top warship-building research institute detained

Jiangsu University of Science and Technology says it has fired Guo Wei over the accusations of academic misconduct.

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F-35 stealth fighter jets

China-US-Russia rivalry for Middle East stealth fighter sales on show in Dubai

Analysts say China’s increasingly competitive J-35 is the one to watch among non-US allies as market splits on geopolitical lines.

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