SCMP: Chinese military short of troops trained in hi-tech operations, PLA Daily reveals in rare show of candour
Vice-captain of corvette yet to complete training test, military paper says, confirming reports of a lingering talent shortage, especially in the navy
SCMP: Uganda turns away from belt and road rail deal as China stalls on loans
Kampala cancels US$2.3 billion construction deal over funding delays, looks to Turkish company to take over the project
SCMP: China’s advanced Fujian aircraft carrier ready to start sea trials this year, a boost for military capacity
The country’s newest carrier is viewed as central to Xi Jinping’s goal of returning the country to the forefront of global powers by 2049
SCMP: Huawei’s stealth chip production plan becomes a guessing game for industry insiders as US sanctions keep it hemmed in
Huawei’s in-house chip design unit HiSilicon has the ability to design advanced chips but it is a different undertaking to fabricate chips
SCMP: US frets about ‘erosion of influence’ as China and Ecuador move closer to a free-trade deal
A free-trade deal with Ecuador would be China’s fourth with a Latin American country, after signing agreements with Chile, Costa Rica and Peru
SCMP: Chinese worker deaths on Indonesia rail site raise fresh safety concerns of belt and road project
Latest safety lapse to hit construction of Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, which has suffered delays, massive cost overruns and series of accidents
SCMP: Record 18 PLA bombers enter Taiwan’s air defence zone in latest ‘practice run’
Cross-strait tensions remain high since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in August, with US arms sales another point of friction
SCMP: China urges Seoul to oppose US controls on chip exports, resist ‘unilateral bullying’
In conference with South Korean counterpart, Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi calls for multilateralism and decries ‘anti-globalisation thinking’
SCMP: Chinese President Xi Jinping believes ‘frustrated students’ are behind Covid protests, EU officials say
The Chinese leader is also reported to have said that the dominant Omicron strain is ‘less lethal’, but expressed concern about vaccinating the elderly
SCMP: Is the US Navy’s ageing fleet opening the Davidson window for a PLA attack on Taiwan?
The US fleet will decline in strength and power as older vessels are retired and new ones take time to go into service, reports warn