Author: Media Library

The US is converting Cold War-era helicopters into drones, a move defence experts say could play a “critical role” in any conflict with Beijing over the Taiwan Strait. The PLA has also been retrofitting outdated aircraft to act as uncrewed drones, with both militaries unveiling similar systems within a month of each other last year. The S-70UAS U-Hawk, a fully autonomous helicopter based on the UH-60 Black Hawk, was first showcased last October at an annual American military event, where it was pitched for high-risk cargo resupply and tactical missions.…

Beijing has denounced Norway’s latest security assessment labelling China as a threat, dismissing the report as “sheer speculation and imagination” while accusing Oslo of holding a “misguided” view that risked damage to ties. In an online statement posted on Saturday, the Chinese embassy in Norway said the reports “once again fabricate the so-called ‘China threat’ narrative out of sheer speculation and imagination, replete with cliches and not worthy of refutation”. “The China-related content is gravely inconsistent with facts and runs counter to the trend of the development of China-Norway relations.…

The world’s fastest air-launched anti-ship cruise missile appears to be in service in the Chinese navy. A photo of a carrier-based J-15T fighter equipped with two YJ-15 missiles has surfaced online in what seems to be a highly operational configuration. The South China Morning Post cannot verify the authenticity of the widely circulated image but, if genuine, the photo would confirm that the missile was designed for the People’s Liberation Army’s naval and air force tactical aircraft, such as the J-15 and J-16. Advertisement The missile was first seen during…

China on Saturday launched the latest mission of its reusable experimental spacecraft – a potential rival to the US Space Force’s X-37B. It was China’s fourth launch of such a prototype spacecraft since 2020, all of them conducted at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre using the Long March-2F carrier rocket. The official name and technical specifications of the spacecraft have yet to be announced, but Chinese space fans have dubbed it the Shenlong, or “Divine Dragon”. Advertisement State news agency Xinhua described the latest launch as another planned round of…

Israel and China should avoid letting political disagreement hijack cooperation, an Israeli senior diplomat has said, amid growing signs that the two strategic partners are moving to repair ties following the Gaza war rift. “We do not let [ties] be hijacked by the political sphere and we continue our ongoing activities on the bilateral,” said Aviv Ezra, the Israeli foreign ministry’s deputy director general for Asia and the Pacific. Ezra was in China last week for a working visit, the highest-level Israeli official to make such a trip since the…

China’s top military command body has moved to tighten Communist Party control over the armed forces with updates to disciplinary rules for party members in the People’s Liberation Army. The PLA Daily, the military’s official newspaper, reported on Saturday that the revisions were to “actively respond to key concerns” in disciplinary enforcement practice. It did not specify the changes, but the report came just two weeks after the announcement that top general Zhang Youxia, first vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, was under investigation for corruption, along with another senior…

Chinese scientists have developed a plant-inspired method to convert carbon dioxide and water into valuable chemicals, such as the building blocks for petrol, by using solar energy. The process – inspired by photosynthesis, where plants harness sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to generate energy – could help produce a sustainable source of fuel, the researchers said. The team, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said they had developed a material able to store small amounts of electrical energy to help efficiently…

With the Winter Olympics now under way in Milan and Cortina, Chinese brands involved in the Games are mounting an ambitious marketing push across Italy and Europe, with sportswear and sports equipment naturally taking centre stage. At the forefront is Li Ning, the company supplying the national team with clothing and gear for the competition after returning as the official partner of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) – a role that had previously ended in 2004. The partnership coincides with Li Ning’s efforts to push into overseas markets. Founded by…

Taiwan is moving to plug one-year conscripts directly into frontline combined-arms operations, mandating joint live-fire training with troops across all services to bolster resilience against a potential attack from Beijing. The Taiwanese cabinet’s latest policy report states that, starting this year, conscripts will be organised into full battalion-level units and attached to combined-arms brigades taking part in the high-intensity Lien Yung three-service live-fire exercises. Advertisement Conscripts will experience realistic battlefield conditions alongside professional soldiers equipped with advanced weapons in the drills, which integrate air force strike aircraft, army attack helicopters,…