3 d. ago ‘Schrodinger’s Pakistan’, Chinese travellers eye Singapore: 7 Asia highlights

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Accountability test for Philippines’ Marcos family as budget scandal widens A former prominent lawmaker now in hiding has released new videos accusing Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s family of orchestrating massive corruption, escalating a scandal that is...

Politics

4 d. ago North Korea’s Kim flaunts daughter, air power in hunt for Russian fighter jets

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s daughter was thrust back into the spotlight late last week at a military spectacle that analysts say was as much about succession planning and extracting concessions from Russia as it was about unveiling new missiles. Ostensibly held to mark the 80th anniversary of the North Korean air force, the ceremony on Friday seemingly served two other purposes: pressing Russia for advanced military technology in return for Pyongyang’s help in the Ukraine war, and acting...

Politics

4 d. ago Kim flaunts daughter, missiles as North Korea eyes Russian jets

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s daughter was thrust back into the spotlight late last week at a military spectacle that analysts say was as much about succession planning and extracting concessions from Russia as it was about unveiling new missiles. Ostensibly held to mark the 80th anniversary of the North Korean air force, the ceremony on Friday seemingly served two other purposes: pressing Russia for advanced military technology in return for Pyongyang’s help in the Ukraine war, and acting...

Events

4 d. ago North Korea unveils new missiles, angles for Russian jets amid Ukraine war deal

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s daughter was thrust back into the spotlight late last week at a military spectacle that analysts say was as much about succession planning and extracting concessions from Russia as it was about unveiling new missiles. Ostensibly held to mark the 80th anniversary of the North Korean air force, the ceremony on Friday seemingly served two other purposes: pressing Russia for advanced military technology in return for Pyongyang’s help in the Ukraine war, and acting...

Events

1 week ago The China factor behind Trump’s decision to upgrade Saudi air power

The US is poised to supply Saudi Arabia with its most advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets, a move that analysts say reflects a new era of Middle East policy in which countering Chinese influence is fast becoming as important for Washington as maintaining Israeli military superiority. It would make Saudi Arabia only the second country in the region, after Israel, to operate the fifth-generation jet. US President Donald Trump announced the decision following a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s visiting...

Politics

1 week ago ‘Dramatic failure’: Tejas crash deals blow to India’s jet export ambitions

The crash of India’s Tejas fighter in front of global arms buyers at the Dubai Air Show is the latest blow to a key national trophy, leaving the jet reliant on Indian military orders to sustain its role as a showcase of home-built defence technology. The cause of Friday’s crash was not immediately known but it capped a week of jockeying for influence at the event, attended by India’s arch-rival Pakistan six months after the neighbouring foes faced off in the world’s largest air battle in...

Events

2 w. ago Indian Air Force pilot dies in Tejas crash during Dubai Air Show demonstration

The pilot of an Indian combat plane died after the aircraft crashed on Friday during a demonstration flight for spectators at the Dubai Air Show, the Indian Air Force said. The Indian HAL Tejas, a combat aircraft used in the Indian Air Force, crashed at around 2.10pm after the pilot had flown across the site of the biennial air show in Dubai several times. The plane appeared to lose control and dive directly towards the ground just prior to crashing inside the grounds of the airfield. The Indian...

Events

3 w. ago Beijing criticises first Taiwan arms deal since Trump’s return to White House

Beijing has strongly criticised the latest possible US arms sale to Taiwan, accusing Washington of grossly violating the one-China principle. On Thursday, the Pentagon announced that the US had approved a deal to sell US$330 million worth of fighter jet parts to the island. It is the first arms deal with Taipei since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. Beijing’s foreign ministry said the deal seriously violated the one-China principle and “gravely infringed upon...

Politics

3 w. ago India’s Tejas fighter jet gets US engines to battle Pakistan’s Chinese air power

India has secured a contract with the US to supply engines for its indigenous Tejas fighter jets, reinforcing defence ties despite trade tensions – even as military analysts say that Pakistan’s superior Chinese-supplied warplanes remain a formidable threat. State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Friday announced it had signed an agreement with US-based General Electric Company (GE) for the supply of 113 F404-GE-IN20 engines and a support package for India’s Tejas Mk1A light combat...

Events

3 w. ago PLA shows first footage of Chinese drone collaborating with crewed J

The Chinese air force has released video of its GJ-11 stealth attack drone flying alongside and linked to the J-20 fighter jet in what is the first footage of the country’s crewed and uncrewed aircraft working together. The footage appeared in a promotional video released by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force on Tuesday to mark the 76th anniversary of its founding. It shows the drone flying in formation with the J-20, China’s most advanced fighter jet, as well as the J-16D fighter, a...

Events

3 w. ago Pakistan’s navy is set to have Chinese subs in 2026. What does it mean for India?

Confirmation from Pakistan’s top naval official that Chinese submarines will soon arrive in the South Asian country suggests India’s dominance of the Indian Ocean could be tested and that Beijing has overcome a major technical hurdle, according to analysts. In an interview with Global Times, affiliated with People’s Daily, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, the Pakistani chief of naval staff, said the first batch of Hangor-class, conventionally powered attack submarines jointly built by China and Pakistan...

Politics