China and Australia Accelerate AI, Hypersonic and Quantum Military Tech

China is intensifying its military modernization by focusing on artificial intelligence, hypersonic missiles, quantum technology, laser weapons and autonomous systems. The strategy, rooted in the 1999 "Unrestricted Warfare" doctrine, aims to create capabilities that the United States lacks and to shape the next era of warfare as the People’s Liberation Army approaches its centenary and a target of a world‑class force by 2049.

Australia has unveiled a 2026 Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy that prioritises long‑range fires, hypersonic weapons, high‑energy lasers, autonomous systems, quantum technology and artificial intelligence. The plan includes funding for a portable high‑energy laser, an interceptor drone, and the domestic production of guided rockets, reflecting lessons from recent conflicts and a push to strengthen the Australian Defence Force’s sovereign industrial base.