China in February 2026: the most important developments in security
In February 2026, China's security agenda was dominated by Iran. Reports said Iran was close to buying supersonic anti-ship missiles from China while US naval forces gathered in the region. Russia, China and Iran began joint naval drills in the Strait of Hormuz. On February 27 China urged its citizens to leave Iran as soon as possible, and on February 28 Chinese embassies in the Middle East urged nationals to take extra precautions after reported US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Several Middle Eastern countries closed their airspace, and flights from China to the region were cancelled.
The United States accused China of conducting a secret underground nuclear test in 2020 and later said China had massively expanded its nuclear arsenal. Washington pushed for a three-way arms deal with Russia and China after the New START treaty expired. China called the claims outright lies and said it had always kept to its international obligations, and the Kremlin denied that either country had carried out secret tests. On February 28 China again denied the allegations.
Espionage cases spread across many countries. Suspects were arrested or charged in France, Greece, Poland and Australia, where two Chinese nationals were charged with espionage. A German court sentenced a US military contractor for spying for China, and a former US Air Force pilot was charged with training Chinese military pilots. In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was evacuated from his residence after a bomb threat linked to opponents of a Chinese dance group.
China executed leaders and members of the Myanmar-based Bai family criminal gang after the top court approved the sentences, and later a court sentenced 16 members of the Ming and Bai gangs to death. In the region, China accused the Philippines of provocation in the South China Sea, and Japan seized a Chinese fishing vessel and arrested its captain, who was later released. Japan planned to deploy missiles on islands near Taiwan. Studies said the purge in China's military was affecting command structures and readiness.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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