People's Liberation Army (PLA)

Two Chinese military pilots, including a high-ranking tactical commander, were killed during PLA frontline flight training exercises last month. Official regional government notices and local media reported the deaths, but Beijing has not issued a statement. It remains unclear if the pilots died in the same incident.

China's Type 054B frigate made its debut with the aircraft carrier Liaoning during live-fire drills in the Pacific east of the Philippines. The exercise, involving at least four escorts, follows a long deployment in the South China Sea and was reported by Japan's defense ministry near Okinotorishima.

China significantly increased military activities across the Indo-Pacific in 2025, conducting record-breaking operations in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea while expanding far-seas training beyond the First Island Chain. The PLA sustained higher operational tempo around Taiwan following President William Lai's inauguration, conducted two large-scale exercises, and demonstrated unprecedented capabilities including simultaneous aircraft carrier operations in the Pacific.