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Defence
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Defence. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gestures as US President Donald Trump delivers a speech in front of US Navy personnel on board the USS George Washington aircraft carrier at the US naval base in Yokosuka, Japan, on October 28. Photo: AFP
Japan

Macroscope | Japan’s economic security push heralds rising protectionism in Asia

The emphasis on securing supply chains and stockpiling critical resources is no substitute for free and open trade and investment.

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US-China relations

US lawmakers want DeepSeek, Xiaomi added to list of China military-linked firms

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Russia

Putin says West holds key to peace as Russia advances in Ukraine

China's military weapons

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
Myanmar

Are Myanmar hospital air strikes a bid to ‘intimidate’ voters ahead of poll?

The junta has been emboldened to strike as China, Russia and the US are looking the other way to serve their own interests, analysts say.

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US-China trade war

Trump signs defence bill restricting investment in Chinese tech, military firms

Key provisions target contracts with Chinese biotech companies and outbound investment in technologies with military applications in China.

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US-China relations

US arms deal supports Taiwan’s effort to reassure Trump on defence burden

Weapons package underpins Taipei’s move towards an asymmetric ‘porcupine’ strategy as Washington presses allies to do more.

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The Javelin is a single man-portable fire-and-forget medium-range antitank weapon system designed to defeat all known and projected threat armor. Photo: Handout
Donald Trump

Trump’s space plan envisages US moon base amid race with China

Trump calls for moon landing in 2028, lunar base thereafter, as China targets the end of the decade for its first crewed landing.

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Ukraine war

Russia deploys nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile to Belarus amid Ukraine talks

Russian state media says it would take the weapon only 17 minutes to reach Nato headquarters in Brussels.

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Japan

Japan vows never to possess nuclear weapons, rebuffing official’s idea

The government’s response came after a senior security official suggested that Tokyo needed nuclear arms to deter ‍potential aggressors.

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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks after an extraordinary parliamentary session on Wednesday. Photo: Kyodo
The Philippines

Philippines to get up to US$3.5 billion defence aid to counter ‘serious threats’

A US senator says the support for Manila and other allies reflects the threats posed by China and its partners in the ‘axis of aggressors’.

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US and Filipino soldiers fire a howitzer during the annual joint “Balikatan” military exercises in Aparri, Cagayan province, Philippines in May. Photo: Reuters
China’s air force

China’s military calls for tip-offs as it targets corruption in air force

Notice urges public to come forward with information about ‘irregular’ activities, the first such request for a specific military branch.

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United States

Opinion | For Trump, the only communists to really dislike are those at home

The limited discussion of China in the new US national security document indicates that the US president’s focus is on domestic challenges to his authority.

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Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign

Newcomers in charge at PLA’s corruption-hit command overseeing Taiwan

State media shows Yang Zhibin and Zhang Jichun at official event, suggesting they are heading the Eastern Theatre Command.

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PLA Air Force Lieutenant General Yang Zhibin, pictured in uniform, is shown at the annual commemoration of the Nanking massacre on Saturday. Photo: CCTV
The Philippines

Why the Philippine Army is turning to locally built remote weapons systems

The roll-out of the new Cobra weapon system is part of Manila’s push to build a self-reliant defence industry.

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Soldiers from the Armour Division operate the Cobra system during a demonstration in Camp O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac on Thursday. Photo: Philippine Army
US-China relations

Senior US and Chinese defence officials continue ‘military-to-military’ dialogue

Talks follow Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s meeting with China’s Minister of National Defence, Admiral Dong Jun, to help stabilise ties.

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European Union

Opinion | As Doha Forum made clear, Europe is losing its seat at the table

Consumed by Ukraine, the EU has effectively retreated from global engagement. An urgent foreign policy recalibration is needed.

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Pakistan

India wary as US backs Pakistan with F-16 upgrades and mineral projects

Analysts say New Delhi faces an ‘uncomfortable truth’ as Washington and Beijing find rare common ground on stability in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (left) and army chief Syed Asim Munir (right) meet US President Donald Trump in Washington in September. Photo: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Office/AFP
US-China relations

US denies Indo-Pacific retreat, says aid is being recalibrated to counter China

Washington argues that targeted assistance and partnerships will deepen regional ties and deliver longer-term economic and security gains.

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Britain

UK spy and military chiefs give threat assessment in ‘age of uncertainty’

Head of MI6 says ‘we are now operating in a space between peace and war’, as defence chief urges ‘whole nation’ prepare for evolving threats.

China's military weapons

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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The CH-7 has completed its maiden flight, although China’s state media says it will undergo further tests. Photo: Handout
Science

Why China’s growing demand for rare-earth steel is bad news for America’s F-35

Advanced product is used in huge infrastructure projects but that has further reduced supply for overseas buyers like the US defence sector.

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The vast mining district of Bayan Obo in Inner Mongolia holds 36 per cent of the world’s light rare-earth reserves. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
South Korea

Martial law plot was Yoon’s plan all along, South Korean prosecutors say

Announcing the results of a massive 180-day inquiry on Monday, special prosecutors said Yoon Suk-yeol aimed to form a military junta.

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Ukraine war

Zelensky suggests Ukraine could drop Nato goal for security guarantees

The shift, which includes a call for ‘Article 5-like’ guarantees, comes as Washington presses for an end to the four-year Ukraine war.

US-Asean relations

Southeast Asia barely features in America’s new security strategy

The region appears just twice in the new 32-page US National Security Strategy, raising fears it is being relegated to a ‘bargaining chip’.

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US President Donald Trump is pictured next to Malaysian flags before departing Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Air Force One in October. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Asian Angle | Is the new Philippines-Germany defence pact built to last?

Rising anxieties over Beijing and Moscow have united Berlin and Manila in an axis that must now be institutionalised to ensure it endures.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (left) mets his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro Jnr in Manila last year to discuss defence cooperation. Photo: Reuters
European Union

Belarus agrees to stop balloon flights into Lithuania amid hybrid attack fears

The incidents have caused over a dozen closures of Vilnius airport in recent months, prompting Lithuania to declare a state of emergency.

The Philippines

Will Philippines favour Eurofighter Typhoon for its military upgrade?

The Eurofighter, which is estimated to cost US$117 million each, has drawn buying interest from Bangladesh and other countries.

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