The Red Arsenal:
inside China’s cutting-edge weapon systems
August 25, 2025
The People’s Liberation Army is the world’s biggest standing army and has been undergoing a dramatic modernisation programme since President Xi Jinping took power in 2013. With aspirations to become a “world-class military” by 2049, it aims to be on a par with the US Armed Forces. This databank project takes a close look at its cutting-edge weapon systems, which could play a key role in the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea and other geopolitical hot spots.