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China's military weapons

China's military weapons
Latest news, features and opinion on the military in China, including the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the development of warships, aircraft carriers and fighter jets, spending on the armed forces and reforms and modernisation. US-China and mainland-Taiwan military tensions and the deployment of China’s armed forces overseas are also covered.
Open Questions series

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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5
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

US-China rivalry doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game: Jessica Chen Weiss

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Illustration: Craig Stephens
US-China relations

Opinion | Mark 2025. It’s the year China became a peer power to America

China not only forced a trade war backdown, it displayed its hi-tech military might from the waters off Australia to the skies near Japan.

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China military reform

Why China’s rapid military build-up is ‘hardly the whole story’

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China’s aircraft carriers

PLA’s Fujian aircraft carrier transits Taiwan Strait as Taipei watches closely

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China’s air force

Are these the first images of China’s new military transport plane in flight?

Photos and videos appear to show the maiden flight of the aircraft that is likely to become the PLA’s main workhorse in future.

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Pictures of the new aircraft have circulated online. Photo: Weibo/ 司马平邦
UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

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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China’s military drills

Chinese tank, upgraded for high altitudes, could be sent to border with India

The Type 99B has been designed for ‘rapid and sustained combat operations’ in areas like the Himalayas, according to state media.

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US-China relations

Is China testing drone subs that could threaten US west coast or Panama Canal?

Evidence points to the development of XXL vessels that provide a ‘low-risk’ option for attacking key sites, according to a US defence website.

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Chinese underwater drones featured at a military parade in Beijing in September, but the new models may be twice their size. Photo: Handout
China-South Korea relations

Why South Korea poses a major challenge to China’s Middle East arms export drive

Both neighbours hope to expand exports to the region, but the Koreans may be better placed due to systems integration and political concerns.

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UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

China’s drone carrier Jiu Tian takes flight to signal PLA swarm capacity boost

Xinhua hails ‘breakthrough in China’s large drone technology’, says Jiu Tian could also be deployed in wide range of civilian applications.

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Mainland China

Video | China reveals radio comms with Japan over aerial encounter

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said radar activation is ‘standard practice’ for flight safety.

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China-Japan relations

China ‘did tell Japan about air drills but not in enough detail to avoid danger’

Both sides have been trading barbs following a stand-off between fighters during Saturday’s training exercise involving the Liaoning carrier.

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A Chinese J-15 fighter jet prepares to land on the Liaoning aircraft carrier in this photo released in December 2021. China has released more details about Saturday’s mid-air stand-off between Chinese and Japanese fighter jets. Photo: AP
China-New Zealand relations

7 Chinese warships followed our navy vessel in East Asia, New Zealand says

Wellington says ship was to carry out surveillance and deterrence activities to bolster UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea.

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Liaoning aircraft carrier

Why is China piling on the pressure on Japan with increasing naval operations?

Japanese analysis indicates Chinese fighters locked onto jets from a distance of about 52km during first encounter and 148km during second.

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US-China relations

US Congress unveils bill with curbs on China tech investment and biotech ties

NDAA package revives stalled measures on US outbound investment and biotech, signalling Capitol Hill’s hardened stance towards Beijing.

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Lawmakers in both the US House of Representatives and Senate have two weeks left before they go out of session until January. Photo: Reuters
Science

Chinese team reports way to extract hypersonic weapon fuel boron from seawater

Inspired by ‘novel sustainable technology’ research, the team designs a single, powerful system using solar energy for extraction.

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Scramjet engines are among the technologies requiring boron. Chinese scientists say they have developed a method to extract boron from seawater. Photo: Getty Images
China’s military drills

PLA holds urban warfare drill as Taipei looks to boost ‘asymmetric capabilities’

State television report showing operation in war-torn city airs soon after Taiwanese leader proposed extra US$40 billion in defence spending.

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China-Australia relations

Australia on high alert as PLA Navy fleet in Philippine Sea sails south

Type 075 amphibious attack ship triggers concern in Canberra after Chinese navy’s unprecedented circumnavigation of Australia this year.

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Drones

China’s unmanned Moyujian strike helicopter is ready for plateau combat tests

At Aero Asia in Zhuhai, developer says it put high-altitude drone with missiles through live-fire target tests above 4,000 metres.

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The Moyujian’s next round of testing will be “a target test mission using satellite communication and beyond visual line of sight control, at an altitude of over 6,000 metres”. Photo: CCTV
China military reform

Is China’s rapid anti-submarine drone progress adding to concerns of Japan, US?

After decades within the confines of the first island chain, the PLA Navy is unveiling a succession of game-changing advances.

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Science

China’s ‘dirt cheap’ missiles could shake up global defence market: state media

The ‘cement-coated’ YKJ-1000 could prove ‘formidably competitive’ internationally if sold at the relatively cheap price of US$99,000.

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Science

‘Real Steel’: PLA unveils motion-controlled combat robot to 13 countries

Chinese and foreign military cadets test bomb disposal robot using voice commands and discuss ethical boundaries of AI in war: state media.

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Cadets from China and foreign militaries view a robot at the PLA Army Engineering University during the 12th International Army Cadets Week from November 3 to 9. Photo: Handout
Taiwan

PLA’s drone carrier on fast track to deployment with apparent second sea trial

A vessel believed to be the Sichuan, a key asset for potential amphibious operations against Taiwan, departs Shanghai shipyard.

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China’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, sets sail from a shipyard in Shanghai on November 14 for its first sea trial. Photo: Xinhua
China military reform

China’s scandal-hit arms firms drag down regional sales in record-breaking year

SIPRI Top 100 reveals stark divide in performance for the only region to record a drop in the midst of rising revenues globally.

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F-35 stealth fighter jets

China takes on US and Russia as it touts J-35 fighter jet in the Middle East

Chinese fifth-generation fighter could draw interest from those seeking fast delivery and fewer political constraints on their purchases.

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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.

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
China’s military

China has minimal nuclear arsenal, seeks no arms race with US: white paper

Document criticises Trump’s planned Golden Dome system, saying it would ‘pose a serious threat to outer space security’.

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In a white paper published on Thursday, China says it “has long exercised extreme restraint in the scale and development of its nuclear arsenal”. Photo: Xinhua
War and conflict

Opinion | Why advances in conventional weapons tech should worry China, Russia and US

Washington, Beijing and Moscow must realise that rapid expansion of precision non-nuclear strike capabilities does not deter war, but instead invites miscalculation.

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Science

How Cleopatra’s bath loofah may help PLA jets to vanish from space radars

From ancient royal baths to future stealth warfare – a humble kitchen vegetable may hold the key to defeating space-based radar hunters.

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