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South China Sea
China’s aircraft carriers
US-China relations
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Defence
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
China's military weapons

In Focus | Beyond the numbers: why China’s carrier force won’t copy the US model

Defence experts say PLA carrier fleet is expected to complement land-based forces and extend reach into the western Pacific and beyond.

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China’s military drills

Chinese paratrooper killed in Qinghai exercise as PLA acknowledges casualties

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2026 Xi-Trump summits

Why did US defence official Colby avoid mentioning China in Manila speech?

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China's military weapons

Why submarine attacks may prove the Achilles’ heel for China’s new carrier fleet

The PLA Navy is still lagging behind the US in undersea warfare, according to a report highlighting some of its ongoing vulnerabilities.

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China is rapidly expanding its carrier fleet, but the ships may be vulnerable to submarine attacks. Photo: CCTV
China is rapidly expanding its carrier fleet, but the ships may be vulnerable to submarine attacks. Photo: CCTV
China's military weapons

China’s latest rocket failure prompts questions about ambitious launch schedule

Long March-7A explodes less than 90 seconds into flight, delaying ChinaSat-4B satellite installation and possibly affecting other programmes.

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South China Sea

Powerful anti-drone laser spotted on PLA amphibious ship in South China Sea

Analysts say deploying the LY-1-equipped vessel during Scarborough Shoal drill was meant to send a message to Manila and Washington.

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Taiwan

Why Taiwan is conducting its first-ever mobile network throttling exercise

Critics question value of tests as authorities aim to prepare public for outages caused by war, cyberattacks or natural disaster.

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During Taiwan's mobile network throttling exercise on Monday, residents said they tried to send a “Help” message from indoors, but could not transmit it because of the reduced network speed. Photo: CNA
During Taiwan's mobile network throttling exercise on Monday, residents said they tried to send a “Help” message from indoors, but could not transmit it because of the reduced network speed. Photo: CNA
China's military weapons

How Beijing’s hypersonic ‘carrier killers’ could distract US in a Taiwan conflict

Beijing said to be producing anti-ship missiles to hold US Pacific Fleet at distance so PLA can settle matters wherever contingency might be.

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Taiwan

Taiwan’s William Lai rehearses late-night emergency escape during military drill

As part of annual Han Kuang exercise, the island’s leader is evacuated in a drill simulating a potential PLA decapitation strike.

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China-Japan relations

Is Japan eyeing asymmetric warfare against China in defence shift?

Analysts detect a notable change in emphasis in Tokyo’s latest white paper which they attribute to lessons from Ukraine.

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A Japanese destroyer launches a Tomahawk cruise missile during an exercise off the United States on July 28. Photo: Kyodo
China’s Communist Party

Open Questions | Wang Gungwu on lessons of Chinese history and Cold War

Historian says the past holds the keys to the future, both for Chinese as they seek further socioeconomic progress and for US as it looks to undermine China.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Illustration: Henry Wong
South China Sea

China confirms 2 deaths in Scarborough Shoal crash during Philippine ship chase

Beijing honours two coastguard personnel who died in a vessel collision in the South China Sea last year.

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China’s military drills

Has China’s missile force got America’s Kadena base in Japan in its sights?

Satellite image of facility that appeared to be the Okinawa airbase seen in state television documentary as PLA officer discussed drills.

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China-Japan relations

Chinese and Russian warships were seen circling Japan. What could it mean?

The pair aim to show they aren’t boxed in by the first island chain and that Moscow can project power despite the Ukraine war.

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A helicopter prepares to take off from the Chinese warship Anshan during China and Russia’s “Joint Sea-2026” exercise. Photo: Xinhua
China's military weapons

In Focus | China’s Palantir? Private tech firms surge into defence AI, aiming to match US giants

Some mainland companies’ tech proficiency may be closing gaps with American counterparts, but challenges remain, analysts say.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Illustration: Henry Wong
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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China's military weapons

Why did a Chinese bomber carry a nuclear-capable missile in an anti-ship exercise?

PLA documentary showcases enough air power in its combination of the Jing Lei-1 on board an H-6N to cover ‘almost the entire Pacific Ocean’.

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Corruption in China

New batch of officers quietly takes helm of PLA after anti-corruption drive

New cohort of lieutenant generals has stepped up to lead key PLA bodies, SCMP analysis of state media footage from key meetings reveals.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Illustration: Henry Wong
China's military weapons

In Focus | Why China’s military is laser-focused on ‘disruptive’ technologies

From artificial intelligence to quantum technology and hypersonic weapons, the PLA is in a race to define the next era of warfare.

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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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China-Japan relations

Japan sounds alarm over China’s expanding Pacific footprint, vows defence boost

Beijing is strengthening its aircraft carrier force as it improves capacity to operate in more distant seas and airspace, white paper warns.

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Iwo Jima, an island in the western Pacific Ocean, hosts a Japanese military garrison and airfield. Photo: Julian Ryall
China's military weapons

Is China’s DF-17 hypersonic glider ready to strike from anywhere at any time?

PLA anniversary series suggests the world’s first operational weapon of its kind may have achieved a ‘constant state of readiness’.

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A missile that appears to be China’s DF-17 hypersonic glide weapon launches from a mobile unit in an exercise featured in an official documentary marking the PLA’s 99th anniversary. Photo: CCTV
A missile that appears to be China’s DF-17 hypersonic glide weapon launches from a mobile unit in an exercise featured in an official documentary marking the PLA’s 99th anniversary. Photo: CCTV
China's military weapons

Open Questions | ‘Surprising’ how fast China’s military is closing US gap: analyst Lyle Goldstein

Beijing’s challenge is to resist temptation to build the PLA into a ‘hammer looking for a nail’, former US Naval War College professor says.

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US-China relations

A military base, a displaced people and Trump’s China fears: Burnham’s Chagos test

Britain’s new prime minister’s first challenge may lie in the Indian Ocean where the future of a US-British facility remains unresolved.

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China’s air force

Chinese military unveils AI system to plan and coordinate mass air strikes

The support system is designed to support exercises involving ‘hundreds of targets and dozens of formations’, according to state media.

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The documentary said the system could coordinate multiple strikes. Photo: CCTV
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