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Defence

Defence
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Defence. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Left to right: Cuban Ambassador to China Alberto Blanco Silva, Chinese Major General Ye Jiang and Cuban First Colonel Waldo Perez Cortes pose during a 65th anniversary celebration in Beijing in September 2025. Photo: Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX)
China-Latin America relations

US sanctions Cuba’s military representative in Beijing over China procurement

Measures target officials and firms accused of obtaining military equipment from China and Russia for Cuba’s armed forces.

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The Philippines

Philippine sailor on South China Sea outpost under investigation for drug use

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US-China relations

China competition looms large in 2027 US defence bill

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US-China relations

US hawks push Trump on multibillion-dollar Taiwan arms deal ahead of Xi summit

Observers say US leader may be ‘miscalculating’ if he attempts to use the US$14 billion package to ramp up pressure on Beijing.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) attends a welcome ceremony for US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on May 14, 2026. Photo: EPA
China-Japan relations

Japan tests long-range missile as counterstrike capability against China grows

First public flight test of upgraded Type 12 variant marks milestone in efforts to counter Chinese naval power.

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North Korea

North Korea vows to teach ‘war criminal state’ Japan lesson over missile test

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister denounced Tokyo’s military expansion, saying ‘we should make it regret’.

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Taiwan

How Taiwan is preparing for a PLA sea blockade in its biggest war games

Taipei to move weapons production, prepare for internet outages and adopt US ‘back briefs’ during Han Kuang drills.

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A US-made Taiwanese tank fires during the 2024 Han Kuang military exercises in Taiwan. Photo: AFP / Taiwanese Ministry of National Defence
Israel

US-Saudi nuclear doubt, Boko Haram’s AI terrorism: 7 global relations reads

From US arms promises to EU sanctions and USMCA troubles, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in July 2026.

United States

US has used ‘virtually all’ of its long-range precision missiles in Iran war, sources say

Washington, however, says the ⁠US had ‘far more munitions than anyone in the world’ and ‘far more than we need’.

United States

Pentagon signs US$3 billion deal to ramp up Patriot, THAAD missile parts production

Agreements with Lockheed and Northrop seek to address supply shortages driven by conflicts.

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A Patriot missile battery at the Prince Sultan air base in al-Kharj, central Saudi Arabia in 2020. Photo: AP
US-China relations

Trump election claims debunked, US-China AI gap: 7 US-China relations reads

From smaller US-China AI gap to crawfish soup on Mars, here are highlights from our overseas correspondents in the second half of July 2026.

US President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office of the White House on July 29. Photo: AP
Ukraine war

Ukraine strikes kill 9 in Russia, another Wildberries warehouse hit

Kyiv, which denies targeting civilians, says its strikes are fair retaliation and are aimed at pressuring Putin into negotiations.

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Pacific nations

New Zealand’s Pacific defence diplomacy shifts into overdrive

Wellington’s four-month diplomatic blitz aims to lock down regional allies as Washington’s commitment wavers.

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Ukraine war

10 killed in Russian strikes on Ukraine, while Kyiv sinks Russian cargo ship

Russia has stepped up strikes ⁠on ⁠Kyiv in recent months, while Ukraine ‌is short of air defences capable of ‌downing ballistic ‌missiles.

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Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following Russian missile attacks in Kyiv on Saturday. Photo: AP
India

Ready player 3: India offers Asean a US-China alternative

India pitches trade, missiles and room to hedge as the US and China vie for regional influence.

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Illustration: Huy Truong
Aviation accidents

F-35B stealth fighter crashed in California, US Marine Corps says

The pilot, who ejected before the plane went down and was taken to a medical facility, is expected to survive.

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Ukraine war

Trump says US hasn’t agreed to Ukraine building Patriot missiles

The president, who earlier said he’d give Kyiv a licence, now says the US must be ‘very careful’ about letting someone make the interceptors.

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South Korea

South Korea almost shoots down US Marine drone after communication failure

Incidents like this could ‘deepen mistrust’ between the allies, experts say, urging a comprehensive review to avoid it recurring.

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North Korea’s border county of Gaepung is seen from a South Korean observation deck at Aegibong Peace Ecopark in Gimpo on July 1. Photo: AFP
Japan

US-led drills edge Japan and South Korea closer on defence

Command roles at Rimpac show Tokyo and Seoul can work together militarily, but history caps how far ties can go.

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China’s military

The PLA at 99: how China’s military went from ragtag rifles to world-class force

From revolutionary group to hi-tech machine, the PLA’s transformation has been a long pursuit of strength and self-reliance.

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Ukraine war

Zelensky says Russia fired North Korean ballistic missile in latest attack

This would be the first time such a weapon was fired in nearly a year, suggesting that Moscow has acquired more stock.

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A man mourns at the site of a destroyed house following an air attack in Radushne, Ukraine's Kryvyi Rig region. Photo: Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration via AFP
China’s military

How Trump’s call for Asia-Pacific allies to raise defence spending may backfire

The president hopes his demands will benefit the US defence industry but analysts believe local arms makers may be the main beneficiaries.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Vietnam

Vietnam to host US aircraft carrier despite Trump’s tariffs, Iran war chaos

A 79-year-old veteran of war with America sees the carrier’s visit as proof of how far relations have come.

The Philippines

Philippines seeks coders, hackers for military – will it be ‘a career killer’?

Manila has to offer tech professionals competitive salaries and a good career path without the administrative burden, analysts warn.

North Korea

Why a 30,000-troop deployment suits both Russia and North Korea

Moscow gets more soldiers without risking another mass mobilisation, Pyongyang receives money and military tech.

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North Korean soldiers march in a military parade at Pyongyang’s Kim Il-Sung Square in February. Photo: KCNA/KNS/AFP
ICBMs

Letters | Missile test shows major-power rivalry is spilling into the Pacific

Readers discuss the fallout of China’s recent missile test, the massive protests in India sparked by exam irregularities, and dwindling sales at the Hong Kong Book Fair.

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a long-range ballistic missile bursts out of the sea during a test launched from a Chinese nuclear-powered submarines in the South Pacific on July 6. Photo: Xinhua via AP
Ukraine war

UK’s Burnham to host Zelensky in first foreign leader visit

Burnham vows Britain will stand ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with Ukraine ahead of Zelensky’s meeting with Trump.

North Korea

Opinion | America’s North Korea strategy needs a dose of reality

Washington’s dogged insistence on denuclearisation first has led to a prolonged deadlock that has only widened Pyongyang’s options.

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