China has accused the United States and Britain of undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait with their decision to send warships through the waterway, a mission that the two allies described as routine. The People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theatre Command said Chinese naval and air forces closely monitored the destroyer USS Higgins and…
China is on a mission to turn its military into a modern fighting force. In the second of this four-part series, we look at how its massive defence industry can support China’s military goals, and during wartime could be further bolstered by the civilian manufacturing sector. In the northeastern city of Shenyang, the future of…
A Chinese fighter jet allegedly flew close to a Philippine coastguard aircraft near the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday morning, while US and PLA naval vessels operated close by amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea. According to the Philippine state-run broadcaster People’s Television Network (PTV), a Cessna Caravan operated by the coastguard was…
The Chinese navy said it expelled a US Navy ship that entered its territorial waters in the South China Sea, while the US defended the operation as legal under international law. China’s navy tracked and warned off the USS Higgins, a US Navy destroyer, after it “illegally intruded” into the waters surrounding Scarborough Shoal without…
China has publicly released the first-ever official footage of flight operations aboard its newest, soon-to-be commissioned aircraft carrier CNS Fujian, marking a watershed moment in the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) naval modernization—and a clear signal of its ongoing technological catch-up with the United States Navy. The footage, published by Chinese state media just before…
For the first time in 72 years, China’s top training institution for navy submarine personnel has recruited 10 women for its bachelor’s degree programme. The 10 students, who achieved top scores on this year’s university entrance exams, were accepted by the PLA Naval Submarine Academy, according to a social media post by the institution on…
In an escalating display of military might and maritime ambition, China for the first time deployed two aircraft carriers—the Liaoning and the Shandong—in extensive, coordinated drills well beyond its coastal waters. The rare show of synchronized naval power sent shockwaves through Japan and the United States, heightening tensions in a region already teetering under geopolitical…
A US Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine stopped in Iceland for the first time on Wednesday. A top admiral told Business Insider that the unprecedented port call sent a message to American foes. The first-of-its-kind visit to the Nordic island nation by the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Newport News comes as the US and NATO…
Chinese researchers have unveiled a key development in underwater acoustic technology that could chart a new course for the country’s underwater defence capabilities. The innovation allowed scientists to pinpoint the depth of a low-frequency sound source with near-perfect accuracy in the Arctic’s Beaufort Sea – a critical gateway to Alaska and a focal point of…
Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China and economy stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Absurd’: Beijing slams Taiwan over DeepSeek ban, dismisses security fears Beijing has condemned Taiwan’s ruling party for ordering a ban on DeepSeek in government departments and public…