China military weapons: Five takeaways from Xi Jinping big parade

China don unveil one range of new weapons, drones plus oda military hardware for one massive parade wey many see as clear message to di United States and dia allies.

Di event see China President Xi Jinping host more dan 20 foreign heads of state, wey include Russia President Vladimir Putin and North Korea President Jong Un, both leaders wey dey rely on China for economic support and more.

Di three of dem stand togeda for public, shoulder to shoulder for di first time on Wednesday, 2 September ahead of di massive military parade for central Beijing.

Di parade, wey mark 80 years afta China victory ova Japan for World War Two na display of Xi growing power on di world stage, and of China military might – di show include di "Guam killer" missile, di "loyal wingman" drone, one new laser weapon and even robotic wolves.

Beyond di hype and shiny new weaponry, wetin we know?

Dis na our five takeaways.

1. China get plenty weapons. How well dem fit deploy dem?

Wetin dey clear from Wednesday display na say China dey able to quickly produce different range of weapons.

Ten years ago, di military technology dem parade be like "rudimentary copies" of far more advanced equipment wey di US invent, Michael Raska, assistant professor for di military transformations programme for di Nanyang Technological University of Singapore tok.

But dis parade, don reveal a more innovative and diverse range of weapons, particularly drones and missiles – wey be reflection of how advanced dia defence-industrial complex don become.

China top-down structure and significant resources enable dem to produce new weapons faster dan many oda kontris, Alexander Neill, one adjunct fellow wit di Pacific Forum point out.

E fit also produce dem in big quantities, wey give dem battlefield advantage wia dem fit overcome di enemy.

"China get di ability to produce munitions, ships, all dis platforms... di state fit just make dis directives and off dem go," Oga Neill tok.

But how well China military go fit integrate dis weapons systems?

"Dem fit show off dis flashy advanced platforms, but dem dey organisationally able to use dem for di way dem want to?" Dr Raska ask.

E add say e no go dey easy bicos di Chinese military dey massive and untested, as dem no dey involved in significant war for decades.

2. China dey focus on missiles to counter US

China don roll out plenty of missiles, wey include some new variants.

E include di Dongfeng-61, wey dey capable of carrying multiple warheads for dia nosecone; di Dongfeng-5C intercontinental ballistic missile wey dem fit launch from northern China and hit di US; and di "Guam Killer" Dongfeng-26D intermediate range missile, wey fit hit key US military bases for Guam.

Plenty hypersonic anti-ship missiles like di YJ-17 and YJ-19, wey fit fly very fast and manoeuvre unpredictably to dodge anti-missile systems also dey.

Reason dey for dis focus on missiles.

China dey develop missiles and rocket forces as key part of dia deterrence strategy - and to counter di US naval superiority, Oga Neill tok.

Di US Navy dey unmatched for di world, dem get di largest fleet of aircraft carriers and carrier strike groups - China still dey behind on dat.

But, Oga Neill point out say, some pipo for di Western defence community dey increasingly argue say dis strike groups dey vulnerable, as dem be effectively "sitting ducks" for any missile attacks.

Beijing no only dey strengthen dia limitation, but dem also dey create a "second strike capability," e tok – a kontri ability to launch a retaliatory strike if dem det attacked.

Oda notable weapons include di much-talked about LY-1 laser weapon, wey be basically one giant laser wey fit burn or disable electronics or even blind pilots; plus assortment of fifth-generation stealth fighter jets wey include di J-20 and J-35 planes.

3. China dey go all di way wit AI and drones

Dem also show a wide range of drones, some of dem AI-powered, but di one wwey catch pipo eyes na di AJX-002 giant submarine drone.

Also known as an extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle (XLUUV), e measure up to 20m (65ft) in length, e fit possibly do surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

China also show off dia GJ-11 stealth attack drone, wey dem nickname di "loyal wingman", e fit fly alongside a manned fighter jet and dey help for attacks.

Apart from di plenty conventional aerial drones, "robotic wolves" also dey. Experts say dem fit use am for different tasks from reconnaissance and sweeping for mines, to hunting down enemy soldiers.

Di drone display show clear direction say China wan take dia military strategy, wia dem "no only wan augment am, but replace traditional structures".

China clearly don take lessons from di Ukraine war, wia pesin fit "just throw drones for di enemy" to reduce dia defences, Dr Raska note.

"Alacrity for di kill chain mata," Oga Neill add, e point out say in a fast-moving battle, dem need to make decisions in "nanoseconds" to defeat di enemy and gain di upper hand – wey be wetin AI fit do.

Many kontris still dey concerned about deploying AI for dia military systems and dem dey ask "how comfortable pipo dey in putting AI for di kill chain", e add.

But China dey very comfortable wit dat, Dr Raska tok. "Dem believe say dem fit control AI. Dem dey go all di way to integrate am into dia systems."

4. China fit get di technology, but US still dey ahead

Di parade clearly show say China dey catch up quickly wit di US in dia military technology, and e get di resources to build up a big arsenal of weapons.

But di US still maintain an edge in terms of operations, experts tok.

US military "excel" bicos "bottom-up" culture dey wia di units on di ground fit make decisions as di situation evolve and change dia fighting strategies, Dr Raska note. Dis one make dem more agile in battle.

China, on di oda hand, na "top-down" wia "dem fit get flashy platforms and systems but dem no go move a finger until dem receive order from di top", e add.

"Di Chinese think say di technology dey create restriction. Dem believe say e go stop US... but for di operational level, instances don dey wey show say dem fit no dey as good as dem say dem be", Dr Raska tok, e point out to recent encounters like one incident wey hppun last month wen one Chinese warship jam one of dia own smaller vessels as dem confront di Philippine coast guard.

5. Di parade na weapons sales pitch – and a chance to show di US a united front

Wit di leaders of more dan two dozen kontris invited to di event, di parade of weapons and tanks essentially na giant sales pitch on Chinese arms to potential buyers, Oga Neill tok.

Some of di kontris wey attend like Myanmar wey pipo know say go buy huge quantities of Chinese weapons.

But di chance to sell to new customers or increase orders na how Chinese govment fit extend dia influence globally, Dr Raska note.

Among di key clients na those wey stand for front and centre wit Xi – Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.

Di three present a united front as dem waka to di parade togeda and stand on stage.

Dat na message to di US, Oga Neill tok: if America wan really challenge dem, if e mean "fighting dem on several potential theatres at di same time – di Korean peninsula, Taiwan Straits, and Ukraine".

"And if you consider am, putting pressure on di US on all three domains, e fit fail in one of those theatres."