China's military modernisation: Trends, progress, and outlook

As China concludes the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) on 12 March, fresh signals on defence priorities have sharpened the outlook for the country's military modernisation programme.

The NPC saw Beijing announce its 2026 defence budget and review a draft outline of the new 15th Five‑Year Plan (2026–2030), both with important implications for the development of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

This webinar extract assesses key PLA capability trends across air, naval, missile, and unmanned systems in the context of  China's strategic priorities over the coming decade.

Presented by Jon Grevatt, Head of Asia‑Pacific News at Janes, the webinar also explores what China is trying to achieve militarily, how rapidly its military power is evolving, and what this means for future regional stability, deterrence, and escalation dynamics.