{"id":3897,"date":"2026-03-08T19:12:39","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T19:12:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iranians.global\/news\/?p=3897"},"modified":"2026-03-08T19:40:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T19:40:30","slug":"chinas-increased-military-might-gives-it-new-weapon-in-challenging-global-order","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iranians.global\/news\/chinas-increased-military-might-gives-it-new-weapon-in-challenging-global-order\/","title":{"rendered":"China\u2019s increased military might gives it new weapon in challenging global order"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Tom Harper, Lecturer in International Relations, University of East London<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n

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Chinese weapons are starting to show up in the world\u2019s biggest conflict zones, underscoring its technological advancement and investment in this area.<\/p>\n

In the 1990s and 2000s, Chinese weapons systems and military equipment were seen as being little more than imitations<\/a> of old Russian or even Soviet systems. China was largely reliant on exports from Moscow and lacked the capacity to create its own systems. <\/p>\n

However, with China\u2019s recent economic development and technological growth, state-run Chinese firms are now increasingly significant military players. Reports suggest that China now has significantly more advanced<\/a> weapons systems. An example of this is a J-20 fighter flying seemingly undetected<\/a> through Tsushima Strait in June 2025, in range of US, Japanese and South Korean radar systems<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, are increasingly dominated by drone warfare<\/a>, China\u2019s drone technology has become more sophisticated<\/a>. It has also made advances in developing hypersonic missiles and stealth technology.<\/p>\n

China\u2019s recent moves in the Pacific show off its military power, most recently its unannounced naval exercises off the coast of Australia<\/a>. The exercise caused significant disruption to flights in the Tasman Sea. And China\u2019s fleet sailed close to sensitive military sites in Australia including the Amberley airbase, which hosts the US\u2019s B-2 stealth bomber fleet. This also shows how bold China has become, as well as illustrating how sensitive assets<\/a> are in striking range of China\u2019s forces. <\/p>\n

Latest Chinese weaponry<\/h2>\n

Chinese weapons systems were in action in the Indo-Pakistani conflict<\/a> in June. Pakistan used<\/a> several Chinese-made J-10C fighters to shoot down several Indian jets, most notably the French-made Rafale fighter. <\/p>\n

The Asian conflict sparked interest<\/a> in the Chinese jet, with Egypt and Nigeria now showing interest in buying the J-10. A year earlier<\/a> at the Zhuhai airshow in China, several Middle Eastern nations, including the UAE, made significant purchases of Chinese systems, following up earlier purchases<\/a> of Chinese drones and fighter jets.<\/p>\n

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