China Media Group (CMG) on Friday released the top 10 military news stories from China in 2025. 

Here is the roundup:

1. China holds massive parade to mark 80th anniversary of WWII victory

China held a massive military parade in central Beijing on September 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of its victory in World War II, pledging the country's commitment to peaceful development in a world still fraught with turbulence and uncertainties.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, oversaw the parade and reviewed the troops.

President Xi delivered a speech before the parade. He noted that the Chinese people made a major contribution to the salvation of human civilization and the defense of world peace with immense sacrifice in the war. He called on nations to "eliminate the root cause of war and prevent historical tragedies from recurring."

2. China commissions first aircraft carrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults

China commissioned the Fujian, its first aircraft carrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults, at a naval port in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, on November 5.

President Xi attended the commissioning and flag-presenting ceremony of the Fujian and also boarded the aircraft carrier to inspect the vessel.

The Fujian was launched in June 2022 and named after Fujian Province.

3. China unveils flag patterns of four PLA branches

President Xi signed an order to unveil the flag patterns of four branches of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), namely the aerospace force, cyberspace force, information support force and joint logistics support force.

The release of the branch flags on July 31 marks the establishment of a military flag system of the people's army in the new era, comprising the PLA flag, the flags of the army, navy, air force and rocket force, as well as the flags of the four branches.

The branch flags were put into official use starting August 1.

4. China revises military rules

President Xi signed orders to publish three regulations on the military's interior order, code of conduct and military formation.

The revised rules, which took effect from April 1, are designed to fully transform the country's military into world-class armed forces, focusing on combat readiness and addressing the concerns of the armed forces.

Fully applying the strategy of running the armed forces in accordance with law, the revised rules aim to promote a more standardized order in war preparation, training, operations and daily life.

5. PLA launches 'Strait Thunder-2025A' exercises in middle, southern areas of Taiwan Strait

The PLA Eastern Theater Command on April 2 conducted military exercises code-named "Strait Thunder-2025A" in the middle and southern areas of the Taiwan Strait.

The exercises focus on subjects of identification and verification, warning and expulsion, and interception and detention to test the troops' capabilities of area regulation and control, joint blockade and control, and precision strikes on key targets, according to Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the theater command.

6. Chinese aircraft carriers conduct training in Western Pacific

Two Chinese aircraft carrier formations, Liaoning and Shandong, conducted training in the Western Pacific and other waters in June.

The drills of the two aircraft carrier formations aimed to test far seas protection and joint combat capabilities, said Wang Xuemeng, a Chinese navy spokesperson, on June 10.

This routine training, organized in accordance with the annual schedule, is in line with relevant international laws and practices, and it is not directed at any specific country or target, Wang said.

7. China warns Japan of 'crushing defeat' should it take risk on Taiwan question

A Chinese defense spokesperson on November 14 warned the Japanese side of a "crushing defeat" should it dare to take a risk on the Taiwan question.

Jiang Bin, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks at a press conference in response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent comments that the Japanese Self-Defense Force could exercise the right of collective self-defense if the Chinese mainland uses military forces against Taiwan.

"Should the Japanese side fail to draw lessons from history and dare to take a risk, or even use force to interfere in the Taiwan question, it will only suffer a crushing defeat against the steel-willed Chineses People's Liberation Army and pay a heavy price," Jiang said.

8. China releases white paper on arms control in new era

China's State Council Information Office on November 27 released a white paper titled "China's Arms Control, Disarmament, and Nonproliferation in the New Era."

The white paper said that China plays a constructive role in international arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation, and actively offers its initiatives and solutions.

China has been and will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order, it said.

9. China unveils rules on dissemination of military info

China released on January 22 a set of regulations that note the do's and don'ts for disseminating military-related information on the internet.

The regulations, jointly issued by 10 departments, including the Cyberspace Administration of China and the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission, took effect on March 1.

The regulations consist of 30 articles and focus on setting guidelines for the dissemination of military-related information on the internet, the establishment of military-themed websites and platforms, and the management of online programs and accounts focusing on military content.

10. Remains of 12th batch of Chinese martyrs in Korean War returned to homeland from ROK

The remains of 30 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea were returned to China on September 12 from the Republic of Korea (ROK).

A PLA Air Force Y-20 transport aircraft, carrying the remains of the martyrs and 267 items of related artifacts, landed at Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

In accordance with international laws and humanitarian principles, China and the ROK have completed such handovers for 12 consecutive years, which involved the remains of 1,011 CPV martyrs in the ROK, along with related artifacts.