China has almost doubled its weapons exports with Pakistan in the past five years, accounting for 35 per cent. Most of China’s arms sales went to countries in Asia and Oceania.
China has almost doubled its weapons exports with Pakistan in the past five years, accounting for 35 per cent. Most of China’s arms sales went to countries in Asia and Oceania. Pakistan accounted for 35 per cent, followed by Bangladesh and Myanmar, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in a report on global arms transfers.
Pakistan is a key Chinese ally, and close military ties between the two countries has sometimes stoked tensions with India, which is seeking to boost its own home-grown weapons industry. Between 2011 and 2015, China’s arms imports fell 25 per cent compared with the previous five-year period, signalling a growing confidence in the country’s home-grown weaponry despite key areas of weakness, the report said.
Chinese exports of major arms, excluding most light weaponry, grew by 88 per cent in 2011-2015 compared to the earlier five-year period, SIPRI said. The country still accounted for only 5.9 per cent of global arms exports from 2011-2015, well behind the United States and Russia, by far the world’s two largest arms exporters.
“The Chinese until 10 years ago were only able to offer low-tech equipment. That has changed,” said Siemon Wezeman, senior researcher with the SIPRI arms and military expenditure programme. “The equipment that they produce is much more highly advanced than 10 years ago, and attracts interest from some of the bigger markets,” he added.
China has invested billions developing its homegrown weapons industry to support its growing maritime ambitions, and also with an eye toward foreign markets for its low cost technology.
