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The People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

The latest news and top stories on the People’s Liberation Army. A prominent Beijing-based governmental body, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is the unified military organisation of the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party. Its primary mission involves defending national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the Party’s interests, alongside protecting overseas interests and promoting global peace. The PLA, comprising ground, naval, air, rocket, aerospace, cyberspace and information support forces, is recognised as the world’s largest military. It plays a crucial role in national defence, internal security, disaster relief and international peacekeeping, continually modernising its technology and capabilities.

The military’s anniversary was marked with a reception and performance at Ngong Shuen Chau Barracks. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong garrison holds reception marking 99th anniversary of PLA’s founding

Rear Admiral Lai Ruxin says troops will bolster defence capacity to safeguard Hong Kong’s stability, while carrying out its duties according to law.

2 Aug 2026 - 12:00AM

China’s military

PLA 99th Anniversary

2 Aug 2026 - 6:06AM

China’s military

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

31 Jul 2026 - 6:44AM

Hong Kong society

‘I didn’t want to miss it’: Hongkongers see off PLA warships after port call

Chief Secretary Eric Chan says it was a precious opportunity for residents to appreciate the country’s achievements in defence and the military.

6 Jul 2026 - 9:06PM

Guided-missile destroyer Nanning departs Hong Kong. Photo: Robert Ng

Hong Kong society

Editorial | PLA vessels’ port call in Hong Kong highlights nation’s support

Regular visits from Chinese naval vessels also signal the city’s responsibility to protect sovereignty and fortify a sense of national identity.

6 Jul 2026 - 7:15AM

China’s warships

Video | PLA Navy ships draw crowds for Hong Kong visit

The guided-missile destroyer Nanning and guided-missile frigate Hengyang arrived for five-day port call to mark Hong Kong’s handover anniversary.

4 Jul 2026 - 7:26PM

Hong Kong society

Residents, visitors flock to waterfront as PLA Navy ships sail into Hong Kong

Guided-missile destroyer Nanning and guided-missile frigate Hengyang arrive for five-day port call to mark handover anniversary.

2 Jul 2026 - 10:44PMvideocam

The destroyer Nanning sails through Victoria Harbour at the start of a five-day port call. Photo: Robert Ng

Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong’s first batches of free PLA ship tour tickets gone within minutes

Guided-missile destroyer Nanning and frigate Hengyang will be open to the public at Ngong Shuen Chau Barracks on Saturday and Sunday.

30 Jun 2026 - 10:04PM

Hong Kong politics

2 PLA Navy ships to visit Hong Kong for 5-day port call

Residents will get a chance to board destroyer Nanning and frigate Hengyang during visit.

6 Jul 2026 - 12:05AMvideocam

Hong Kong society

Thousands flock to PLA airbase amid Hong Kong handover celebrations

‘I wanted to see aircraft, which is why I applied to visit Shek Kong barracks. They are bigger than I had imagined,’ visitor says.

27 Jun 2026 - 8:42PM

Thousands visit the PLA's Shek Kong barracks to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese rule. Photo: Dickson Lee

China's military weapons

PLA’s advanced carrier Fujian transits Taiwan Strait amid military drills

The vessel’s passage comes a day after island starts a five-day exercise to boost its combat readiness.

24 Jun 2026 - 10:00PM

A surveillance photo released by the Taiwanese defence ministry shows the Fujian, the People's Liberation Army's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, as it transits the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday. Photo: Kyodo

Video | PLA barracks in Hong Kong open to public

Thousands flock to the Ngong Shuen Chau Barracks to watch training demonstrations and try out military equipment.

21 Jun 2026 - 6:03PM

Hong Kong society

Crowds at PLA barracks in Hong Kong celebrate city’s return to Chinese rule

Some cite patriotic education as Hong Kong Garrison opens doors to public as part of 29th anniversary celebrations of city’s return to Chinese rule.

21 Jun 2026 - 6:13PMvideocam

China's military weapons

How China’s home-grown WS-10 engine helped make the country a modern air power

The PLA’s first domestically developed high-thrust turbofan engine continues to play a crucial role 20 years on from its debut.

31 May 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

The engine has been used to power J-10 fighter jets and enabled their export to countries such as Pakistan. Photo: Handout

China’s military drills

Can PLA training catch up with China’s rapid weapon development?

‘No matter how advanced the equipment is, if people cannot effectively operate it, it remains nothing more than cold steel’: PLA Daily.

19 May 2026 - 9:10AMvideocam

A PLA Daily article says some Chinese military units have not done enough personnel-equipment integration and some have not devoted enough effort to cultivating specialised talent. Photo: Xinhua

China-Japan relations

Are China and Russia flexing their maritime muscle near Japan?

Tokyo’s recent tracking of three PLA Navy warships transiting Tsushima Strait comes amid heightened regional tensions.

8 May 2026 - 7:00PM

CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)

Video | Chinese military officers target of new CIA video

US spy agency’s outreach, depicting a disillusioned mid-level officer, risks unsettling fragile calm before April’s Trump-XI summit.

13 Feb 2026 - 5:02PM

US-China relations

CIA targets Chinese military officers in new recruitment video

US spy agency’s outreach, depicting a disillusioned mid-level officer, risks unsettling fragile calm before April’s Trump-XI summit.

13 Feb 2026 - 7:07PMvideocam

The CIA ‌rolled out a video on Thursday in a bid to recruit military informants in China. Image: CIA via YouTube

China’s military

Xi’s new year greeting reveals PLA Cyberspace Force post in South China Sea

Analyst says deployment signals Chinese military’s cyber warfare capabilities ‘are no longer confined to the mainland’.

12 Feb 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

China's military weapons

J-35 jet maker flexes production muscle, pledging to double output in 5 years

New video shows stealth fighter on the runway at SAC in Liaoning as state media says factory will be part of ‘Shenyang Aerospace City’.

9 Jan 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

US-Venezuela conflict

Opinion | US invasion of Venezuela no guarantee of hemispheric dominance

By signalling how far it will go to defend its interests in Venezuela, the US might have intensified conflicts closer to home rather than resolving them.

8 Jan 2026 - 9:32PMvideocam

Ousted president Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela (second from right) and his wife Cilia Flores (second from left) arrive at the Wall Street Heliport in the New York City borough of Manhattan on January 5. Photo: TNS

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.

30 Dec 2025 - 4:45PM

02:49

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.

28 Nov 2025 - 10:00AMvideocam

South China Sea

Opinion | How does China’s modernising navy stack up against the US seventh fleet?

Between what the US can sustain in the region vs what China can concentrate near its shores, the calculation increasingly favours Beijing.

17 Nov 2025 - 6:51AMvideocam

Alibaba

Alibaba slams FT report on alleged PLA ties as ‘completely false’, ‘malicious’

The report appears to undermine the recent bilateral trade talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart, Donald Trump.

15 Nov 2025 - 4:51PM

China's military weapons

China’s Pacific power takes strategic leap with new carrier

The commissioning of the Fujian, China’s third aircraft carrier, extends the nation’s reach into the Pacific, provided it can overcome the challenges of operating a blue-water navy.

10 Nov 2025 - 5:03PM

US-China relations

US Space Force to use 3 weapons to jam Chinese satellites via remote control

The Meadowlands and Remote Sensing Terminals will be joining the US military’s Counter Communications System jammer.

5 Nov 2025 - 1:35AM

Taiwan

No major PLA activity near Taiwan after ‘troublemaker’ Lai’s policy speech

Taiwanese defence ministry figures show no increase in the number of warplanes and warships near the island since October 10.

19 Oct 2025 - 11:25PMvideocam

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The People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

Hong Kong garrison holds reception marking 99th anniversary of PLA’s founding

Rear Admiral Lai Ruxin says troops will bolster defence capacity to safeguard Hong Kong’s stability, while carrying out its duties according to law.

PLA 99th Anniversary

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

‘I didn’t want to miss it’: Hongkongers see off PLA warships after port call

Chief Secretary Eric Chan says it was a precious opportunity for residents to appreciate the country’s achievements in defence and the military.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Editorial | PLA vessels’ port call in Hong Kong highlights nation’s support

Regular visits from Chinese naval vessels also signal the city’s responsibility to protect sovereignty and fortify a sense of national identity.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Video | PLA Navy ships draw crowds for Hong Kong visit

The guided-missile destroyer Nanning and guided-missile frigate Hengyang arrived for five-day port call to mark Hong Kong’s handover anniversary.

Residents, visitors flock to waterfront as PLA Navy ships sail into Hong Kong

Guided-missile destroyer Nanning and guided-missile frigate Hengyang arrive for five-day port call to mark handover anniversary.

Hong Kong’s first batches of free PLA ship tour tickets gone within minutes

Guided-missile destroyer Nanning and frigate Hengyang will be open to the public at Ngong Shuen Chau Barracks on Saturday and Sunday.

2 PLA Navy ships to visit Hong Kong for 5-day port call

Residents will get a chance to board destroyer Nanning and frigate Hengyang during visit.

Thousands flock to PLA airbase amid Hong Kong handover celebrations

‘I wanted to see aircraft, which is why I applied to visit Shek Kong barracks. They are bigger than I had imagined,’ visitor says.

PLA’s advanced carrier Fujian transits Taiwan Strait amid military drills

The vessel’s passage comes a day after island starts a five-day exercise to boost its combat readiness.

Video | PLA barracks in Hong Kong open to public

Thousands flock to the Ngong Shuen Chau Barracks to watch training demonstrations and try out military equipment.

Crowds at PLA barracks in Hong Kong celebrate city’s return to Chinese rule

Some cite patriotic education as Hong Kong Garrison opens doors to public as part of 29th anniversary celebrations of city’s return to Chinese rule.

How China’s home-grown WS-10 engine helped make the country a modern air power

The PLA’s first domestically developed high-thrust turbofan engine continues to play a crucial role 20 years on from its debut.

Can PLA training catch up with China’s rapid weapon development?

‘No matter how advanced the equipment is, if people cannot effectively operate it, it remains nothing more than cold steel’: PLA Daily.

Are China and Russia flexing their maritime muscle near Japan?

Tokyo’s recent tracking of three PLA Navy warships transiting Tsushima Strait comes amid heightened regional tensions.

Video | Chinese military officers target of new CIA video

US spy agency’s outreach, depicting a disillusioned mid-level officer, risks unsettling fragile calm before April’s Trump-XI summit.

CIA targets Chinese military officers in new recruitment video

US spy agency’s outreach, depicting a disillusioned mid-level officer, risks unsettling fragile calm before April’s Trump-XI summit.

Xi’s new year greeting reveals PLA Cyberspace Force post in South China Sea

Analyst says deployment signals Chinese military’s cyber warfare capabilities ‘are no longer confined to the mainland’.

J-35 jet maker flexes production muscle, pledging to double output in 5 years

New video shows stealth fighter on the runway at SAC in Liaoning as state media says factory will be part of ‘Shenyang Aerospace City’.

Opinion | US invasion of Venezuela no guarantee of hemispheric dominance

By signalling how far it will go to defend its interests in Venezuela, the US might have intensified conflicts closer to home rather than resolving them.

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.

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.

Opinion | How does China’s modernising navy stack up against the US seventh fleet?

Between what the US can sustain in the region vs what China can concentrate near its shores, the calculation increasingly favours Beijing.

Alibaba slams FT report on alleged PLA ties as ‘completely false’, ‘malicious’

The report appears to undermine the recent bilateral trade talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart, Donald Trump.

China’s Pacific power takes strategic leap with new carrier

The commissioning of the Fujian, China’s third aircraft carrier, extends the nation’s reach into the Pacific, provided it can overcome the challenges of operating a blue-water navy.

US Space Force to use 3 weapons to jam Chinese satellites via remote control

The Meadowlands and Remote Sensing Terminals will be joining the US military’s Counter Communications System jammer.

No major PLA activity near Taiwan after ‘troublemaker’ Lai’s policy speech

Taiwanese defence ministry figures show no increase in the number of warplanes and warships near the island since October 10.

Editorial | PLA vessels’ port call in Hong Kong highlights nation’s support

Video | PLA Navy ships draw crowds for Hong Kong visit