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Seong Hyeon Choi
Reporter, China
Seong Hyeon joined the SCMP in 2022. He is from South Korea and graduated with a bachelor of journalism and master of international and public affairs from the University of Hong Kong. He worked as a research intern for Korea Chair at US foreign policy think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and as a news trainee for NK news.
Seong Hyeon joined the SCMP in 2022. He is from South Korea and graduated with a bachelor of journalism and master of international and public affairs from the University of Hong Kong. He worked as a research intern for Korea Chair at US foreign policy think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and as a news trainee for NK news.
Areas of Expertise:
International affairs, South Korea, North KoreaLanguages Spoken:
English, Korean
Engineers tell state media they offered technical support during conflict that saw an Indian-owned Rafale downed by a Chinese-made fighter.
Islamabad’s elevated stature in Middle East security could make it ‘the operational face of Chinese defence systems’ via regional deployment.
Recent roll-out puts South Korea in elite group of countries capable of indigenously developing advanced supersonic combat aircraft.
State media shows J-35A model bearing AVIC logo rolling out of the hangar, the English lettering hinting it is an export model.
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Rare cooperation plan with Moscow could accelerate Pyongyang’s military modernisation on multiple fronts, analysts say.
Updated regulations give Tokyo greater scope to sell lethal weapons overseas, prompting rebuke from China, but the industry still faces hurdles.
President and naval chief attend ceremony in Sanya for the advanced Hangor-class vessel as the two countries step up defence cooperation.
Reported deployment ‘on UAE soil represents a qualitatively different level of trust and coordination’, analyst says.
Expenditures rose to US$681 billion, as some nations worried that Washington might not be a reliable security partner.
‘Force multiplier’ could allow New Delhi to target Pakistani support planes such as surveillance and refuelling aircraft.
After Lee Jae Myung’s recent visit to New Delhi touting expanded bilateral cooperation, Beijing is likely to be uneasy, analysts say.
The Cheongung-II has reportedly achieved a 96.7% intercept rate against Iranian drones and ballistic missiles.
Tokyo’s 1,400 combat troops mark most extensive participation yet in annual joint exercise and signal ‘priorities’ to Beijing, analysts say.
Analysts believe plan to target Iran’s economic lifeline is well within US Navy’s capabilities, but warn this may prompt a military response.
Combat-ready Japanese troops are being deployed in the Philippines for the first time since Japan’s occupation of the country during World War II.
Deploying US missiles to the Middle East ‘reinforces Beijing’s assessment that time and industrial scale favour China’, analyst says.
Former PLA personnel say Iran’s success in shooting down US fighter jet boosts morale and shows it retains ‘some air-defence capabilities’.
Amphibious assault ship’s transfer said to cause ‘dip’ in deterrence against Beijing’s military activity around Taiwan and South China Sea.
US Central Command says stealth fighter was forced to make an emergency landing during a combat mission over Iran.
Beijing would not overestimate impact of decapitation strike on Taiwan, seeing it just as part of amphibious landing operation, analyst says.
Agreement between naval commanders ahead of 40th joint exercise comes as Vietnamese leader To Lam hails ties with China as ‘top priority’.
Carnegie nuclear policy expert says law of the jungle signalled by US actions could spur more countries to pursue nuclear weapons.
Analysts say it could be interpreted as crossing a ‘strategic threshold’ and reinforce Beijing’s suspicions about Tokyo’s Taiwan intentions.
Armed forces such as the US and China are increasingly arming themselves with UAVs, but analysts believe crewed aircraft still have a role.
Analysts warn of a regional capability gap in the wake of US redeployment of anti-missile system to the Middle East.
Zhao Tong says return to law of the jungle signalled by current US actions could spur countries without nuclear weapons to start acquiring them.
Neighbours in Asia and Oceania increase their overseas weapons purchases amid ‘fears over China’s intentions’.
Donald Trump’s targeting of Tehran will push Pyongyang to feel ‘vindicated’ in developing nuclear weapons for its own security, analysts say.
Seoul’s security agreement with Ottawa is also a ‘hedge’ against a transactional Washington, an analyst says.
