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China’s military drills

China’s military drills
Latest news and updates on military drills involving the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), including manoeuvres near Taiwan and joint exercises with other nations.
Chinese media say paratrooper Xia Shiyuan, from Huaiyuan county in eastern Anhui province, encountered an emergency shortly after leaving his mid-air aircraft during a scheduled exercise in Golmud, Qinghai province, on May 27. Photo: Weibo/合新闻
China’s military

Chinese paratrooper killed in Qinghai exercise as PLA acknowledges casualties

Death of 23-year-old was one of two parachute-related incidents in consecutive months recently made public by the PLA.

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South China Sea

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

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China-Japan relations

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

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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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Illustration: Davies Christian
China’s military

Could US subterranean warfare be a future threat to China’s military defences?

Underground warfare could challenge China’s early-warning reliance on satellites and ground-based radars, think tank says.

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US-China relations

Open Questions | Ex-PLA colonel on US’ decline and China’s nuclear arsenal

Zhou Bo of Tsinghua University weighs US’ commitment to Taiwan, how big a nuclear deterrent China needs and the risks of AI warfare.

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Taiwan

Why PLA jet sorties near Taiwan dropped to a 3-year low in first half of 2026

Beijing is shifting cross-strait military strategy, halving aerial missions and increasing coastguard patrols in the waters near the island.

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Illustration: Davies Christian
Taiwan

Beijing conducts live-fire drills in Taiwan Strait after criticising Lai speech

Beginning of exercise coincides with completion of Beijing’s fisheries resources survey conducted in waters east of Taiwan.

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China's military weapons

What China’s carrier recruitment drive says about PLA Navy’s long-term ambitions

Beijing is committed to building a fleet that can operate far from home – even in the face of the growing threat from anti-ship missiles.

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China's military weapons

What does China’s J-16 jet ‘beast mode’ upgrade mean for regional air power?

Extreme loadout configuration suggests a potential extension of the PLA Air Force’s tactical capabilities, Chinese military magazine says.

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The J-16 is a 4.5-generation multirole fighter of the People’s Liberation Army, derived from and improving upon Russian Sukhoi designs. Photo: Handout
China military reform

2 Chinese military naval pilots killed during PLA frontline training exercises

Rare local government disclosures reveal senior colonel and first lieutenant from South China Sea-facing theatre command died on June 10.

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Fang Ming, a senior colonel serving as a tactical commander under the PLA Southern Theatre Command Naval Aviation unit, is one of two pilots who died on June 10. Photo: Handout
Taiwan

The radar system that Taiwan says tracked the PLA’s ballistic missile launch

The Pave Paws early-warning unit detected the launch from waters near the mainland’s southern coast, report says.

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US-China relations

US says China gave only hours’ warning before Pacific submarine missile launch

Washington says Beijing’s notification of launch fell short of expected standard followed by other established nuclear powers.

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China-Russia relations

China eyes Russian submarine rescue expertise in Yellow Sea naval drills

Joint exercise reveals deepening military cooperation between Beijing and Moscow while sending signal to Washington and its regional allies.

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Vessels taking part in the Joint Sea-2026 naval exercise involving China and Russia are seen at a military port in Qingdao, Shandong province, on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua
China's military weapons

What does China’s submarine missile test mean for its nuclear triad expansion?

More than a technical milestone, undersea launch sends strategic signal to the US and Beijing’s neighbours in Asia-Pacific, analysts say.

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A test missile is fired from a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine towards the Pacific Ocean on Monday. Photo: Xinhua
Mainland China

Russian warships dock in Chinese port ahead of Joint Sea exercises

The PLA held a welcome ceremony for the Russian warships, which arrived in the eastern port of Qingdao on Sunday.

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China's military weapons

Could China’s containerised aircraft launcher reshape rules of modern warfare?

Details of a growing family of standard-sized weapon systems appeared on social media, along with video of an EMALS in action.

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Japan

Japan and South Korea scramble fighters after Chinese-Russian bomber patrol

Tokyo says it had tracked two separate flights involving H-6 and Tu-95 bombers, some of which passed over the western Pacific.

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Chinese H-6 bombers formed part of the patrol. Photo: Handout
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.

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China's military weapons

China’s navy has missiles and drones. Why is it bringing back the ‘big guns’?

A new 155mm naval gun is said to be in development and it could provide firepower support for a future attack on Taiwan.

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China's military weapons

China’s futuristic stealth sub to boost ‘hunt-and-kill’ capabilities: experts

Satellite images show the vessel under construction has a ‘finless’ design that could improve its manoeuvrability and speed.

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China has put a greater emphasis on underwater warfare, as its combat philosophy shifts from surface warfare to underwater stealth, an analyst says. Photo: AFP
Liaoning aircraft carrier

Type 054B frigate makes carrier force debut with Liaoning for live-fire drills

No sign of J-35 stealth fighter but the PLA Navy’s newest and most advanced frigate makes its carrier force debut.

A file photo of a fighter jet taking off from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier in a previous exercise. Photo: Japan Ministry of Defence
China’s navy

Breaking the chain? Why Hainan holds the key to survival for China’s carriers

Sanya naval complex in country’s island province gives warships room to manoeuvre and counter US first island chain, report says.

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Liaoning aircraft carrier

Chinese carrier kicks off drills in western Pacific amid tense Japan ties

The Liaoning carrier group will hold live-fire drills months after stand-off with Japanese fighter jets during a December exercise.

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China's military weapons

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.

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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.

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China’s Type 055 guided-missile destroyer, designated “Renhai-class” by Nato, is a cruiser-sized vessel with robust air-defence, anti-submarine and surface-warfare capabilities. Photo: Handout
Diplomacy

Opinion | Without diplomacy, deterrence in Asia is a path to escalation

The danger is that every state insists it is acting defensively while collectively building the habits and infrastructure of confrontation.

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China's military weapons

PLA showcases YJ-20 anti-ship missiles as US-Japan-Philippines test war moves

Video of PLA Navy strike tests emerges as US, allies take part in Balikatan 2026, marking Japan’s first-ever operational role in the drills.

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