People's Liberation Army

Chinese soldiers march in formation in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on 30 September 2023. (Pedro Pardo/AFP)

Will the PLA cross the Chinese-Myanmar border to safeguard security?

Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan notes that while the recent live-fire drills by China’s Southern Theater Command at the China-Myanmar border is aimed at testing the PLA’s capabilities, it is evidently a form of warning to all sides involved in the war in northern Myanmar. Some are even supporting the idea of Chinese military deployment across the border to tackle the serious, long-term issues of smuggling, drug trafficking and telecommunications fraud in northern Myanmar.
Members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) march outside the Great Hall of the People on 18 October 2023. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

Which Chinese military leader will lead the Xiangshan Forum?

The Xiangshan Forum is scheduled to open at the end of this week in Beijing, after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, and in that time several complex geopolitical and security issues have cropped up that are likely to be discussed. Furthermore, the sudden change in China’s military leadership and continued freezing of China-US military interactions adds another layer worth observing. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu tells us more.
A screen broadcasts news footage of a Navy Force vessel taking part in military drills by the Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) around Taiwan, in a shopping area in Beijing, China, 19 August 2023. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

Taiwan military prepares for urban warfare and asymmetric fight as PLA prepares for war with Taiwan

As Beijing turns up the pressure on Taiwan with military exercises around the island, Taiwan in turn is also preparing its people for urban warfare and what would probably be an asymmetric fight. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Woon Wei Jong talks to academics and experts to find out more.
A shot of the USS America (LHA-6) taken on 15 September 2023. (Chung Sung-Jun/Reuters)

US, China militaries flex muscles in Yellow Sea

Amid the ongoing US-China rivalry, both powers have been sending their navies on exercises in the Yellow Sea, as a signal to each side, stopping just short of actual engagement. This mirrors earlier near-confrontations. Is this all just military posturing ahead of a possible Xi Jinping-Joe Biden summit before the end of the year?
Chinese military personnel arriving in Thailand for the joint exercise Blue Strike 2023, 31 August 2023. (Xinhua)

Do China’s military exercises in Southeast Asia belie a lack of trust?

The PLA has increased the number of military exercises conducted with its smaller regional neighbours this year. But the scope, frequency and sophistication of the exercises still lag behind those conducted by the US. The aims and outcomes of China's joint exercises also differ from those of the US. ISEAS researcher Ian Storey says that all this points to a lack of trust on China's part.
Chinese honour guards prepare for the arrival of China’s Premier Li Qiang and Mongolia's Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene ahead of a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 28 June 2023. (Jade Gao/AFP)

China's abrupt leadership changes reveal Xi's grip on power

Taiwan academic Tsai Wen-Hsuan looks at the recent removal and disappearances of senior Chinese officials and discusses if these events reflect a shift in political dynamics among China’s high-ups and if President Xi Jinping’s power has been challenged.
A sailor walks on the deck of the USS Ronald Reagan, a US Navy Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, during a port visit in Danang, Vietnam, on 26 June 2023. (Nhac Nguyen/AFP)

Looking in the wrong direction: US Navy's superior strike capability does not ensure victory

Although the US Navy’s aircraft carrier fleet dwarfs that of China in quantity, quality and combat experience, the closer the US fleet gets to the Chinese coast the more vulnerable it becomes.
Security officers stand guard inside the Great Hall of the People ahead of the fourth plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, on 11 March 2023. (Greg Baker/Pool via Reuters/File Photo)

China's never-ending battle against corruption

The recent spate of reports about investigations into senior Chinese officials — especially in the military — have prompted questions about what is happening in China. Given the lack of transparency in the Chinese government, it is hard to come to any firm conclusion about what these “fallen tigers” have done, but it is easy to see that corruption is still a major problem in the highly centralised system.
Visitors stand in front of a giant screen displaying Chinese President Xi Jinping next to a flag of the Communist Party of China, at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing, China, 8 October 2022. (Florence Lo/File Photo/Reuters)

Leadership reshuffle spells trouble within China’s military governance

The sudden reshuffle of senior officers of the People’s Liberation Army has shocked the media and the public. While the reasons for the removal of two generals from the Rocket Force remains unclear, authorities seem to be signalling an anti-corruption wave in China’s military. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu tells us more.