China's Xi prepares for the worst with drones, hypersonic weapons

Military seeks tech-enabled advantages in potential conflicts

20230802N China drone

A Chinese drone displayed at a 2021 airshow. The country is developing swarm technology that could overwhelm enemy defenses with dozens of drones. © Reuters

YUKIO TAJIMA, Nikkei staff writer

BEIJING -- China is seeking advances in artificial intelligence-powered drones and hypersonic weapons in a broader military buildup, as President Xi Jinping prepares the country for "extreme" scenarios.

An article appearing in the People's Liberation Army Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese armed forces, in late May warned of an urgent need to strengthen the military's capabilities in controlling low-altitude airspace, an increasingly important field of combat.

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