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Defence
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Defence. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
US President Donald Trump signed an extensive defence bill on Thursday that restricts US investment in Chinese technology companies and military firms. Photo: TNS
US-China trade war

Trump signs defence bill restricting investment in Chinese tech, military firms

Key provisions target contracts with Chinese biotech companies and outbound investment in technologies with military applications in China.

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US-China relations

US arms deal supports Taiwan’s effort to reassure Trump on defence burden

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Donald Trump

Trump boosts US plans for moon base with nuclear reactors in China space race

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Ukraine war

Russia deploys nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile to Belarus amid Ukraine talks

Russian state media says it would take the weapon only 17 minutes to reach Nato headquarters in Brussels.

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Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko delivers a speech in Minsk on Thursday. Photo: Belarusian presidential press service via AFP
Japan

Is Japan’s nuclear stance set to change under PM Takaichi?

Source close to PM Takaichi urges Japan to acquire nuclear arms; policy shift from pacifism may spark backlash at home and abroad.

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The Philippines

Philippines to get up to US$3.5 billion defence aid to counter ‘serious threats’

A US senator says the support for Manila and other allies reflects the threats posed by China and its partners in the ‘axis of aggressors’.

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China’s air force

China’s military calls for tip-offs as it targets corruption in air force

Notice urges public to come forward with information about ‘irregular’ activities, the first such request for a specific military branch.

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PLA Air Force armament formations were on show in China’s September 3 military parade. Now, China’s military is calling for tips about procurement corruption within the air force. Photo: Xinhua
United States

Opinion | For Trump, the only communists to really dislike are those at home

The limited discussion of China in the new US national security document indicates that the US president’s focus is on domestic challenges to his authority.

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Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign

Newcomers in charge at PLA’s corruption-hit command overseeing Taiwan

State media shows Yang Zhibin and Zhang Jichun at official event, suggesting they are heading the Eastern Theatre Command.

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The Philippines

Why the Philippine Army is turning to locally built remote weapons systems

The roll-out of the new Cobra weapon system is part of Manila’s push to build a self-reliant defence industry.

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Soldiers from the Armour Division operate the Cobra system during a demonstration in Camp O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac on Thursday. Photo: Philippine Army
US-China relations

Senior US and Chinese defence officials continue ‘military-to-military’ dialogue

Talks follow Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s meeting with China’s Minister of National Defence, Admiral Dong Jun, to help stabilise ties.

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US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met Chinese Minister of National Defence , Admiral Dong Jun, on the sidelines of the Asean Defence Ministers Meeting Plus in Malaysia on October 31. Photo: X/Secretary of War Pete Hegseth
European Union

Opinion | As Doha Forum made clear, Europe is losing its seat at the table

Consumed by Ukraine, the EU has effectively retreated from global engagement. An urgent foreign policy recalibration is needed.

Pakistan

India wary as US backs Pakistan with F-16 upgrades and mineral projects

Analysts say New Delhi faces an ‘uncomfortable truth’ as Washington and Beijing find rare common ground on stability in Pakistan.

US-China relations

US denies Indo-Pacific retreat, says aid is being recalibrated to counter China

Washington argues that targeted assistance and partnerships will deepen regional ties and deliver longer-term economic and security gains.

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A toll booth at the Clark Freeport Zone in the Philippines, a sprawling managed economic zone that has received significant US backing through development initiatives. Photo: Handout
Britain

UK spy and military chiefs give threat assessment in ‘age of uncertainty’

Head of MI6 says ‘we are now operating in a space between peace and war’, as defence chief urges ‘whole nation’ prepare for evolving threats.

The new head of Britain’s MI6, Blaise Metreweli makes her first public speech in London on Monday. Photo: AFP
China's military weapons

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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Science

Why China’s growing demand for rare-earth steel is bad news for America’s F-35

Advanced product is used in huge infrastructure projects but that has further reduced supply for overseas buyers like the US defence sector.

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South Korea

Martial law plot was Yoon’s plan all along, South Korean prosecutors say

Announcing the results of a massive 180-day inquiry on Monday, special prosecutors said Yoon Suk-yeol aimed to form a military junta.

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Yoon Suk-yeol speaks in Seoul on March 10, 2022, shortly after winning that month’s presidential election. Photo: Xinhua
Ukraine war

Zelensky suggests Ukraine could drop Nato goal for security guarantees

The shift, which includes a call for ‘Article 5-like’ guarantees, comes as Washington presses for an end to the four-year Ukraine war.

US-Asean relations

Southeast Asia barely features in America’s new security strategy

The region appears just twice in the new 32-page US National Security Strategy, raising fears it is being relegated to a ‘bargaining chip’.

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The Philippines

Asian Angle | Is the new Philippines-Germany defence pact built to last?

Rising anxieties over Beijing and Moscow have united Berlin and Manila in an axis that must now be institutionalised to ensure it endures.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (left) mets his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro Jnr in Manila last year to discuss defence cooperation. Photo: Reuters
European Union

Belarus agrees to stop balloon flights into Lithuania amid hybrid attack fears

The incidents have caused over a dozen closures of Vilnius airport in recent months, prompting Lithuania to declare a state of emergency.

An undated image shows an officer inspecting a balloon used to smuggle cigarettes into Lithuania. Photo: State Border Guard Service via AP
The Philippines

Will Philippines favour Eurofighter Typhoon for its military upgrade?

The Eurofighter, which is estimated to cost US$117 million each, has drawn buying interest from Bangladesh and other countries.

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North Korea

North Korea’s Kim reveals soldiers cleared mines for Russia

The North Korean leader hailed returning troops for displaying ‘mass heroism’ during demining operations in the Kursk region.

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China's economic recovery

Beijing digs in for trade ‘struggles’, eyes strategy of growth and resilience

Analysts see leadership’s language after central economic work conference as an admission that trade tensions are expected to endure.

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President Xi Jinping (centre) speaks at the annual central economic work conference in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua
Ukraine war

Ukraine retakes Kharkiv areas as Russian troops ‘completely cut off’ in Kupiansk

Disputing Moscow’s claim of controlling Kupiansk, Ukraine retakes villages and isolates Russian troops amid fierce eastern battles.

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Ukrainian servicemen during military training near Kupiansk ,Kharkiv region, Ukraine, in November. Photo: EPA/127th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defence
Indonesia

Indonesia weighs costs of closer Russia engagement after Prabowo’s Moscow visit

Analysts said Putin’s offers may align with Jakarta’s ambitions but would carry diplomatic costs and the risk of sanctions from Washington.

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Australia

Why US review of Aukus submarine deal for Australia is kept secret

One reason is to maintain public support for the alliance by preventing any shortfalls of the deal from being made known, analysts say.

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