Latest news with #PeoplesLiberationArmy
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
People's Daily spells out PLA's mid-century goal, with the US as a benchmark
The People's Liberation Army must measure itself against the world's strongest military, a clear reference to the US, in its drive to beat the global competition, according to an official policy commentary detailing the PLA's goals by 2049. Advertisement The article published on Thursday in Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily is one of the clearest explanations of Chinese President Xi Jinping's goal of 'building a world-class military by the middle of this century'. It said 'world-class' was defined by global top-tier indicators and China aimed to dominate the central stage of military competition and stay at the forefront of developments. 02:57 Shandong aircraft carrier moves into Taiwan response zone ahead of PLA drills Shandong aircraft carrier moves into Taiwan response zone ahead of PLA drills '[A world-class military] must match China's status as a global power, ensure comprehensive and effective protection of national security and have a strong international influence,' the article said. It said China must aim for the world's highest standards, 'not only in the areas of weapons and equipment, organisational structure and combat systems, but also in military theory, talent development and training qualities'. The Chinese military needed to see foreign peers as a benchmark – 'especially the most powerful military', a reference to American forces – to 'stand on equal footing with global powers and prevail in international competition', it added. Advertisement The article comes less than a month before the PLA will showcase its latest progress at a Victory Day military parade on September 3 marking the 80th anniversary of China's defeat of the Japanese invasion and the global triumph over fascism.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
People's Daily spells out details of PLA's mid-century goal, with the US as a benchmark
The People's Liberation Army must measure itself against the world's strongest military, a clear reference to the US, in its drive to win the global contest, according to an official policy commentary detailing the PLA's goals by 2049. The article published on Thursday in the People's Daily is one of the clearest explanations of Chinese President Xi Jinping's goal of 'building a world-class military by the middle of this century'. It said 'world-class' was defined by global top-tier indicators and China aimed to dominate the central stage of military competition and stay at the forefront of developments. 02:57 Shandong aircraft carrier moves into Taiwan response zone ahead of PLA drills Shandong aircraft carrier moves into Taiwan response zone ahead of PLA drills '[A world-class military] must match China's status as a global power, ensure comprehensive and effective protection of national security and have a strong international influence,' read the article titled 'Deeply grasping the major original contributions of fully building a world-class military'. It said China must aim for the world's highest standards, 'not only in the areas of weapons and equipment, organisational structure and combat systems, but also in military theory, talent development and training qualities'. The Chinese military needed to see foreign peers as a benchmark – 'especially the most powerful military', a reference to American forces – to 'stand on equal footing with global powers and prevail in international competition', it added. The article was published about a month before the PLA is set to showcase its latest progress in modernisation at a large Victory Day military parade on September 3 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of China's defeat of the Japanese invasion and the global triumph over fascism.
The Sun
02-08-2025
- The Sun
Chinese military chiefs develop killer bird-drone powered by flapping wings
CHINESE military chiefs have developed a killer bird drone powered by flapping wings, The Sun on Sunday can reveal. The new weapon - known as an 'ornithopter' - has been built to resemble Eurasian tree sparrow and was revealed during a recent demonstration by Chinese special forces. The drone replicates the wing-flapping motion of a sparrow in flight, making it virtually indistinguishable from real birds at a distance, according to the latest edition of Soldier Magazine. A video of the occasion shows an officer with the Peoples' Liberation Army Sea Commandos releasing the sparrow-like drone as he resurfaced from the water. The drone then circled in the sky for a few minutes while flapping its wings like a real bird. Another clip shows a commando operating a larger drone, which is similar in size to a raven or hawk. Details of how the bird-drone is powered and flies remain secret but defence sources believe drones of this size would normally use small advanced sensors allowing the operator to spy on enemy troops. Defence sources have also claimed that this new generation of drones can also be armed with micro-warheads to strike enemy assets, especially those in cover. The drones could also be used to assassinate enemy VIPs such as senior military commanders. But small drones often have a limited range and endurance, making them suitable only for short-range reconnaissance. Colonel Phil Ingram, a former Army intelligence officer told The Sun on Sunday: 'These drones could revolutionise reconnaissance operations on the battlefield. 'It's just a matter of time before we see these being used in war zones such as Ukraine and there is quite a strong likelihood that they could already be part of Russia's drone armoury. Incredible moment wounded Ukrainian soldier is delivered e-bike by drone so he can escape while surrounded by Russians 'They will be used to conduct short term spying missions and if they can be fitted with a small warhead or weapon they could be used to take out individual battlefield commanders.' In 2021, the South China Morning Post uploaded a video of what it called a 'robo-fish' wagging its tail underwater. The device was not a real fish, but a drone with the potential for underwater surveillance. 1
