How China’s revised defence law could harness AI and drones for war

China highlights advanced wartime tech in defence mobilisation law update

The first amendment to the law in 16 years is also expected to cover cyberspace, biotechnology and quantum technology, analysts say

The revised law, passed by the top legislature on Friday, says that “the state promotes the application of advanced technologies in national defence mobilisation and develops national defence mobilisation forces in emerging fields”, according to the text published by official news agency Xinhua.

Xie said the amendment, set to take effect on October 1, not only covered technologies but also market entities and specialised talent in these fields.

“The Russia-Ukraine conflict further validates the critical role of unmanned, intelligent and cyber technologies in modern warfare, reinforcing the necessity of this legislation,” Xie said.