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Defence

Defence
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Defence. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (right) receives Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the headquarters of the Spanish government on Wednesday. Photo: dpa
Ukraine war

Zelensky urges EU to bypass Hungarian veto on vital US$103 billion loan

Putin ally Viktor Orban has been blocking the loan, in part because of a closed pipeline supplying his country with Russian oil in Ukraine.

US, Israel war on Iran

Iranian intelligence minister Esmail Khatib ‘eliminated’: Israel’s Katz

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Ukraine war

Ukraine’s Zelensky warns of ‘brothers in hatred’ as Iran war steals focus

Drones

China leads world in anti-drone patent race with US far behind, law firm finds

Patent filings for anti-drone technology surged 27 per cent last year amid rising global security concerns, says Mathys & Squire.

A police officer presents an anti-drone gun during the Railway Police Open Day at Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan, Hubei province. Photo: Getty Images
US, Israel war on Iran

US military’s Iran war pivot forces security rethink in Asia-Pacific

As assets are diverted to the Gulf, the Iran war’s high ‘burn rate’ risks creating a ‘thin spot’ in the US security umbrella.

Japan

Japan identifies 1,500 new missile shelters as ‘front line’ fears grow

Underground car parks and subways are being repurposed as Tokyo warns of the most severe security threat since the second world war.

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Science

How China gets more bang for its military buck than the US

The country’s military modernisation integrates civilian scientific and industrial capabilities into defence innovation allowing rapid development.

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Illustration: Davies Christian
US-China relations

Beijing on Iran war, Trump trade plan, new AI arena: 7 US-China relations reads

From a new US maritime strategy to the Iran crisis, here are highlights from SCMP’s overseas correspondents in the first half of March 2026.

European Union

Opinion | Europe says it must rearm – but to what end?

Beneath the rhetoric of defending democracy, a more uncomfortable reality drives the rearmament push: the fraying of the transatlantic bond.

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Middle East

Opinion | How US-Israel war on Iran rocks foundations of the Abraham Accords

For Arab states, the conflict has revealed a paradox: the alliances meant to enhance their security may also have increased their vulnerability.

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Smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah city in the United Arab Emirates on March 1 following reports of Iranian strikes. Photo: AP
China's military weapons

How are military helicopters evolving to adapt to the age of drone warfare?

Armed forces such as the US and China are increasingly arming themselves with UAVs, but analysts believe crewed aircraft still have a role.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
US-China relations

The US is shifting THAAD to the Middle East. What does that mean for China?

Analysts warn of a regional capability gap in the wake of US redeployment of anti-missile system to the Middle East.

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North Korea

North Korea launches 10 missiles as South Korea, US conduct military exercises

North Korean leader’s sister Kim Yo-jong has slammed both countries for proceeding with the drills at a perilous time in global security.

US, Israel war on Iran

More than 2,000 Marines leave Japan for Middle East as Iran war intensifies

Trump has ordered the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Tripoli assault ship to be redeployed to the Persian Gulf.

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US Marines take part in amphibious assault training as part of the Cobra Gold joint military exercise in Thailand on February 26. Photo: EPA
North Korea

Trump tells South Korea he is only leader who can break North Korean deadlock

Trump was interested to know if North Korea’s Kim Jong-un would be open to meeting him, South Korean prime minister said.

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President Donald Trump meets North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas on June 30, 2019. Photo: Reuters
China's military weapons

China announces AI boost to radar as drone swarms confound detectors in Iran war

Technology allows radar to observe moving targets from multiple angles, gain dynamic information – and even identify potential decoy drones.

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Australia

Australia walks ‘very fine line’ with Gulf deployment amid Iran war

Analysts say the defensive deployment reflects Canberra’s attempt to balance alliance pressure with fears of deeper involvement in the conflict.

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Science

China beats US, Japan in carbon-fibre arms race with world’s first T1200 factory

‘Black gold’ fibre deemed transformative for energy and military purposes, EV innovations, medical devices and low-altitude economy.

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State media says China is the first country to mass produce the strongest carbon fibre available, a development with implications across a number of hi-tech sectors. Photo: CCTV
Japan

In Japan, video of exhausted Takaichi sparks health fears ahead of US trip

The prime minister is expected to announce Tokyo’s participation in the US’ ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system when she meets Trump.

North Korea

US sanctions 2 firms, 6 individuals for funding North Korean weapons

North Korea-linked IT workers raised nearly US$800 million in 2024 by defrauding or stealing data to blackmail American companies.

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Nato

Serbia confirms it owns Chinese supersonic missiles after photo leak

‘We have a significant number of those missiles and we will have even more,’ Aleksandar Vucic said, adding they were ‘extremely effective’.

China’s President Xi Jinping, left, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Photo: AFP
US, Israel war on Iran

US warns of possible strikes on Iran ports as Hormuz becomes flashpoint

US military considers civilian ports to be legitimate targets, prompting a threat from Iran that no location in the Gulf would remain safe.

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A satellite image showing damage at naval facilities in Bushehr, Iran on March 7. Photo: Vantor via Reuters
Two Sessions 2026

Why China may gain from US moving military assets for Iran war

‘Any weakening’ of US presence in Asia-Pacific will work to someone’s advantage, ‘and you can imagine who that is’: cross-strait adviser.

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The Philippines

As US missiles leave South Korea, the Philippines asks: are we next?

South Korea couldn’t stop the pull-out. Now, Manila must figure out if it is indeed a strategic partner or just another supply depot.

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South Korea

Video | South Korea grapples with ‘clear reality’ of US forces shifting role on peninsula

Analysts say reports of US moving assets from Korean peninsula to Middle East marks shift in role of American forces stationed in South Korea.

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South Korea

South Korea gets wake-up call as US diverts military assets to Middle East

President Lee Jae Myung urges South Korea to boost its own defence amid reports of US military assets being redeployed to the Middle East.

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Members of Korean Peace Solidarity for Sovereignty and Reunification shout slogans and hold banners during a rally against US and South Korean military exercises outside the US embassy in Seoul on Monday. Photo: EPA
US, Israel war on Iran

As I see it | Iran war exposes the risks of being a US ally

Iranian attacks on US partners in the Gulf should make America’s allies in Asia rethink their security ties with Washington.

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2026 Trump-Xi summit

Exclusive | Could China’s rare earth supplies dictate how long US strikes on Iran go on?

The American military’s dependence on Chinese sources gives Beijing leverage in the lead-up to Trump’s trip, sources say.

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