Defence

[Big read] How China weaponised its rare earth monopoly

Rare earths are only part of the story. Over three decades, China has transformed export controls from a regulatory measure into a powerful geopolitical tool, reshaping global supply chains and strategic competition. Lianhe Zaobao Associate China News Editor Chen Jing explores how experts see Beijing’s strategy evolving.

Chen Jing

21 Jul 2026

What China’s submarine missile test reveals about its nuclear strategy

China’s submarine launch shows that Beijing intends to remove strategic vulnerability before accepting strategic constraint. But showing its ability for a second-strike capability does not guarantee stability in Asia, says academic Hao Nan.  

Hao Nan

09 Jul 2026

Purged generals, flying missiles: China’s military paradox

As sweeping anti-corruption investigations continue to shake the People’s Liberation Army, Beijing has responded not with words but with high-profile missile tests, seeking to demonstrate that its strategic nuclear deterrent remains intact despite the ongoing purge. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei explains.

Sim Tze Wei

09 Jul 2026

America’s 250-year strategy meets China’s rise

For 250 years, US grand strategy has been built on preventing any rival from dominating Europe or Asia. China’s rise has ended America’s uncontested primacy in East Asia, forcing Washington to rethink how it can preserve its security and influence. US academic Robert S. Ross gives his assessment.

Robert S. Ross

08 Jul 2026

How China’s quantum race threatens nuclear deterrence

China’s rapid advances in quantum technology are reshaping military competition and challenging the foundations of nuclear deterrence, forcing the US and its allies to confront a new era of strategic instability, says researcher Tahir Mahmood Azad.

Tahir Mahmood Azad

06 Jul 2026

Why Japan is fast-tracking its defence overhaul

As Tokyo revises its landmark Three Security Documents, the real story lies beyond nuclear policy. Japan is reshaping its defence strategy to confront China’s rise, shifting US expectations and new forms of warfare. Japanese academic Shin Kawashima gives his analysis.

Shin Kawashima

06 Jul 2026

Can India still trust Trump’s America?

India’s fear that the US is moving closer to China has it seeking to be more self-sufficient in defence and making its own approaches to China. Indian researcher Rishi Gupta explains.

Rishi Gupta

03 Jul 2026

How Turkey arms China’s rivals without angering Beijing

Just as it balanced its role supplying combat drones to Ukraine while deepening trade relations with Russia, Turkey is playing a similar game by advancing arms sales in the Indo-Pacific while staying out of China’s way. Italian commentator Emanuele Scimia gives his analysis.

Emanuele Scimia

29 Jun 2026

Are China-Philippines tensions sinking the South China Sea Code of Conduct?

Recent remarks by the Philippines suggesting that China may be a stumbling block to the conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) drew a harsh response from the latter. Why are these tensions resurfacing now, and what real impact does it have on the negotiations on the COC? Researcher Chau Do gives her take.

Chau Do

23 Jun 2026

‘Neo-militarism’: Why Beijing sees Japan reviving a prewar trajectory

China’s charge of Japan’s so-called “neo-militarism” is not about arsenal comparisons — it is a decades-old fear, now updated, that Japan is quietly restoring the prewar state that 1945 was supposed to dismantle, say Chinese academics Shao Jingkai and Wang Guangtao.

Shao Jingkai, Wang Guangtao

12 Jun 2026

Why the Philippines and Japan are preparing for a Taiwan contingency

As China’s maritime posture seems to be getting more muscular and the US’s intentions in the Indo-Pacific become less clear, the Philippines and Japan are seeking stronger security relations to safeguard all eventualities. Manila-based analyst Don McLain Gill explains.

Don McLain Gill

08 Jun 2026

China’s new red line: Sanctioning foreign lawmakers over Taiwan visits

Following a visit to Taiwan, four New Zealand MPs have been banned from entering mainland China for one year. Is this truly justified as Beijing feels, or is it an overreaction that signals greater confidence on China’s part? Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei tells us more.

Sim Tze Wei

08 Jun 2026