In-Depth Analysis of the May 2026 Ministry of Defense Press Conference: PLA Systematic Combat Capability Enters Accelerated Formation Period

On the afternoon of May 9, 2026, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, Deputy Director of the News Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, hosted a routine press conference in early May, releasing information on a series of significant military-related topics and answering questions from reporters. This press conference was highly information-dense, covering multiple dimensions such as military readiness patrols in the Taiwan Strait, the formation of systematic operational capabilities of naval aircraft carrier strike groups, foreign military cooperation, and a stern warning regarding Japan's military expansion, providing a panoramic view of the accelerated transformation of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan. This article will conduct an in-depth analysis of the strategic signals revealed by this press conference from several key perspectives.

In the Taiwan Strait direction, the PLA organized joint military readiness patrols with naval and air forces around Taiwan Island from May 9 to 10, notably with the main battle ship formation entering the southwestern waters of the Penghu Islands. This action marks a substantial upgrade in the PLA's military presence around the Taiwan Strait from "close proximity deterrence" to "deep embedding." In response to related questions, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin clearly stated, "Taiwan is a part of China, and there is no so-called 'median line' in the Strait," emphasizing that the related military actions are "completely legitimate and reasonable." This statement is consistent with the PLA's operational practices in the Taiwan Strait, which have been normalized in recent years—according to Taiwan's defense department statistics, military activities by the PLA around the Taiwan Strait increased by 23% in 2025 compared to the previous year, with naval and air activities continuously extending towards the eastern and southwestern parts of Taiwan Island. The tactical significance of the main battle ship formation entering the southwestern waters of the Penghu Islands should not be underestimated: this area is located at the southern exit of the Taiwan Strait, controlling the connecting passage between the Bashi Channel and the South China Sea. Deploying the main battle ship formation here can create a high-pressure situation in the southwestern part of Taiwan Island and effectively block potential paths for external forces to intervene from the South China Sea.

Regarding naval construction, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin confirmed media reports about the "carrier battle group five-piece set," indicating that the People's Navy has successfully equipped itself with five key types of carrier-based aviation equipment: stealth carrier-based fighter jets, multi-role carrier-based fighter jets, fixed-wing carrier-based early warning aircraft, fixed-wing electronic warfare aircraft, and anti-submarine helicopters. This milestone achievement means that the Chinese Navy's aircraft carrier strike group has developed a complete systematic air combat capability, enabling it to carry out comprehensive offensive and defensive operations far from shore-based support in the open ocean. From a technological evolution perspective, the formation of the "carrier battle group five-piece set" has undergone a long process of technical breakthroughs: the J-35 stealth carrier-based fighter jet completed its catapult launch tests by the end of 2024, the KJ-600 fixed-wing early warning aircraft was officially commissioned in 2025, and the J-15T catapult-capable multi-role fighter jet achieved a leap from ski-jump takeoff to electromagnetic catapult launch. The integration and synergy of these five types of aircraft have equipped Chinese aircraft carriers with a complete air wing structure similar to that of U.S. Navy carrier strike groups, filling a long-standing critical gap that has constrained the combat effectiveness of Chinese aircraft carriers.

In the field of foreign military cooperation, this press conference disclosed two important developments. First, the first "Qilin" class conventional submarine has been officially delivered to Pakistan in Sanya, with high-ranking military and political officials, including the President of Pakistan and the Chief of Naval Staff, attending the delivery ceremony. This is a normal equipment cooperation between China and Pakistan and marks China's first delivery of domestically produced advanced conventional submarines to a foreign country. According to public information, the "Qilin" class is the export model of China's Type 039C conventional submarine, utilizing a Stirling AIP (Air-Independent Propulsion) system, significantly enhancing its underwater endurance and capable of being equipped with various weapons such as torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and cruise missiles. The delivery of this submarine not only deepens the military connotation of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between China and Pakistan but also signifies a qualitative leap in China's high-end naval equipment export capabilities. Second, Jiang Bin announced that the "Assault-2026" joint army training between China and Thailand will be held in Thailand in mid to late May, focusing on joint counter-terrorism in mountainous jungle environments, covering battlefield rescue, unmanned equipment operation, live-fire shooting, and other subjects. This is the eighth time the two countries' armies have conducted this series of joint training, reflecting the continuous deepening of military mutual trust between China and ASEAN countries.

It is worth noting that the language used regarding Japan in this press conference was unprecedentedly severe. In response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent visits to Australia and Vietnam, where she proposed a so-called new version of the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" concept and advocated for constitutional revision, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin used the term "new-type militarism," which carries strong historical warning implications, and sternly pointed out that "Japanese right-wing forces are gradually tearing off their disguise, shifting from covert military expansion to open preparations for war." Regarding the joint statement by the Japanese Defense Minister and the Philippine Defense Minister opposing the so-called "unilateral use of force to change the status quo in the East China Sea and South China Sea," China explicitly condemned it as "ignoring the common desire of regional countries for peace and development, and strengthening military collusion for selfish gains." The backdrop of this series of statements is Japan's continuous rightward shift in security policy in recent years: defense spending as a percentage of GDP has jumped from 1% to over 2%, the development of long-range strike capabilities has accelerated, and the principle of "defense only" has been effectively undermined. China's unrelenting criticism is not only a stern warning against Japan's military expansion but also a diplomatic action to clarify China's legitimate defense of the post-war international order to the international community.

From a broader perspective, the various developments revealed in this press conference point to a clear trend: the PLA is accelerating the construction of systematic operational capabilities in the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). In 2026, China's defense budget reached 1.91 trillion yuan (approximately 277 billion USD), a year-on-year increase of 7%, maintaining a steady growth trend for several consecutive years. The continuous increase in funding is being transformed into substantial leaps in combat effectiveness—from the integration of the "carrier battle group five-piece set" air wing to the embedding of DF-17 hypersonic missiles into routine combat readiness training, and to the tactical innovative application of main battle ship formations in the Taiwan Strait, the PLA's modernization process is transitioning from a single platform upgrade phase to a deep-water zone of multi-domain system integration. Meanwhile, the underwater autonomous mine countermeasure systems, robotic war dogs, and other new unmanned equipment showcased at the Chengdu Defense Technology Industry Expo, as well as the efficiency-boosting effects of "dark factory" production for the J-20 stealth fighter, all indicate that China's defense industrial base is shifting from quantitative expansion to qualitative leaps, with intelligence and unmanned systems becoming the core direction of equipment development. It is foreseeable that with the in-depth implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan, the PLA's systematic operational capabilities will achieve even more significant leaps in the next five years.