China world’s 3rd largest arms exporter
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CHINA has overtaken Germany to become the world’s third largest arms exporter, but its 5 percent share remains small compared to the combined 58 percent from the US and Russia, a new study says.
The volume of the multi-billion dollar world arms trade rose 16 percent during the period from 2010 to 2014 over the previous five years, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said in its annual report.
The United States has taken “a firm lead” with 31 percent of global exports of conventional weapons, the institute said yesterday. Russia is second with 27 percent.
The next three arms exporters have about 5 percent each, with China slightly ahead of Germany and France.
China’s share of the global arms market rose 143 percent from 2010 to 2014, the institute said.
The figures show the growing strength of China’s domestic arms industry, now producing fourth-generation fighter jets, navy frigates and a wide-range of relatively cheap, simple and reliable smaller weapons.
According to the latest SIPRI figures, the US retains the world’s largest military budget at US$640 billion, far ahead of China (US$141.5 billion) and Russia (US$87.8 billion).
Responding to the study, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China took a “cautious approach” to arms exports and abided by relevant UN resolutions and domestic laws.
“We follow the principle that the export of arms will help increase the recipient country’s legitimate self-defense capabilities and not undermine international or regional peace and stability, and we don’t intervene in their domestic affairs,” Hong said.
Three Asian countries accounted for more than two-thirds of Chinese exports, with Pakistan buying 41 percent of the total, followed by Bangladesh and Myanmar. China also had 18 client nations in Africa during the period.
Chinese sales included those of armored vehicles and transport and trainer aircraft to Venezuela, three frigates to Algeria, anti-ship missiles to Indonesia and unmanned combat aerial vehicles, or drones, to Nigeria, which is battling a Boko Haram insurgency.
China also offers leading-edge drone technology at competitive prices. One model, known variously as the Yilong, Wing Loong or Pterodactyl, has become especially popular with foreign buyers.
Chinese Central Television quoted retired People’s Liberation Army General Xu Guangyu saying at an air show two years ago that the unmanned aircraft, which can be armed with two guided missiles, would cost about US$1 million each. That’s up to a fifth of the price of a comparable US model.
The US exports to at least 94 recipients, the institute said. Countries in Asia and Oceania took 48 percent of US exports, followed by the Middle East with 32 percent and Europe at 11 percent.
Of Russia’s global share, 39 percent went to India — the world’s largest arms importer overall. China took 11 percent of Russia’s exports, followed by Algeria.
Among importers, India was far ahead of Saudi Arabia and China, purchasing some 15 percent of the total volume compared with 5 percent each for the next two.
China’s arms imports fell 42 percent between the years 2010 and 2014 compared with the prior five-year period, the report said.
African arms imports shot up 45 percent in the period. “Algeria was the largest arms importer in Africa, followed by Morocco, whose arms imports increased 11-fold,” the report said.
“Cameroon and Nigeria received arms from several states in order to fulfil their urgent demand for weapons to fight against the militant Islamist group Boko Haram,” it added.
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