China defends weapons sales as exports rise
Source: Agencies |
March 19, 2013, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA has defended its rules on overseas weapons sales following a report ranking the country fifth in arms exports.
Foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said yesterday that such sales followed domestic laws and United Nations guidelines.
He said weapons sales have to be justified by the legitimate needs of the recipient and must not harm peace, security or stability.
Sweden's Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported yesterday that China had overtaken Britain as the world's fifth largest arms exporter over the five-year period from 2008 to 2012.
China had a 5 percent share of global arms exports, coming after the United States with 30 percent, Russia with 26 percent, Germany with 7 percent and France with 6 percent.
Asked about the report, Hong said China was a responsible arms exporter which strictly adhered to international law.
"On arms exports, China sticks to three principles. First, that it is conducive to the recipient country's justifiable self-defense needs. Second, it does not damage regional and global peace, security and stability. Third, it does not interfere in other countries' internal affairs," he told reporters.
The largest buyer of Chinese weapons was Pakistan, which accounted for 55 percent of the country's exports, followed by Myanmar with 8 percent and Bangladesh with 7 percent, the Swedish institute said.
"China's rise has been driven primarily by large-scale arms acquisitions by Pakistan," said Paul Holtom, director of the organization's arms transfers program. "However, a number of recent deals indicate that China is establishing itself as a significant arms supplier to a growing number of important recipient states."
Such deals include the sale of three frigates to Algeria, eight transport aircraft to Venezuela and 54 tanks to Morocco, the institute said.
The shift, outlined in the institute's "Trends in International Arms Transfers" report, marks China's first time as a top-five arms exporter since the think-tank's 1986-1990 data period.
China's move into the top-five means the United Kingdom (now sixth) drops out of the top five for the first time since at least 1950.
The institute said Asia dominated the global imports of weapons, with the top five importers all located there.
China followed only India in the acquisition of arms, though its reliance on imports is decreasing as it ramps up domestic production.
The Swedish institute maintains a global arms transfers database base that tracks arms exports back to the 1950s.
It averages data over five-year periods because arms sales vary by year.
Foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said yesterday that such sales followed domestic laws and United Nations guidelines.
He said weapons sales have to be justified by the legitimate needs of the recipient and must not harm peace, security or stability.
Sweden's Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported yesterday that China had overtaken Britain as the world's fifth largest arms exporter over the five-year period from 2008 to 2012.
China had a 5 percent share of global arms exports, coming after the United States with 30 percent, Russia with 26 percent, Germany with 7 percent and France with 6 percent.
Asked about the report, Hong said China was a responsible arms exporter which strictly adhered to international law.
"On arms exports, China sticks to three principles. First, that it is conducive to the recipient country's justifiable self-defense needs. Second, it does not damage regional and global peace, security and stability. Third, it does not interfere in other countries' internal affairs," he told reporters.
The largest buyer of Chinese weapons was Pakistan, which accounted for 55 percent of the country's exports, followed by Myanmar with 8 percent and Bangladesh with 7 percent, the Swedish institute said.
"China's rise has been driven primarily by large-scale arms acquisitions by Pakistan," said Paul Holtom, director of the organization's arms transfers program. "However, a number of recent deals indicate that China is establishing itself as a significant arms supplier to a growing number of important recipient states."
Such deals include the sale of three frigates to Algeria, eight transport aircraft to Venezuela and 54 tanks to Morocco, the institute said.
The shift, outlined in the institute's "Trends in International Arms Transfers" report, marks China's first time as a top-five arms exporter since the think-tank's 1986-1990 data period.
China's move into the top-five means the United Kingdom (now sixth) drops out of the top five for the first time since at least 1950.
The institute said Asia dominated the global imports of weapons, with the top five importers all located there.
China followed only India in the acquisition of arms, though its reliance on imports is decreasing as it ramps up domestic production.
The Swedish institute maintains a global arms transfers database base that tracks arms exports back to the 1950s.
It averages data over five-year periods because arms sales vary by year.
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