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China Now World's 5th Biggest Arms Exporter

by Michael Lipin March 18, 2013

China has overtaken Britain as the world's fifth biggest exporter of conventional arms, according to a Swedish research group.

A report released Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), says China established itself as a significant arms supplier between 2008 and 2012, with a growing number of international buyers, particularly Pakistan.

Chinese military exports jumped 162 percent from the previous five-year period, according to the report, which said 55 percent of those Chinese exports went to Pakistan, while eight percent went to Burma. Both recipient nations are longtime Chinese allies.

SIPRI says China's share of the global weapons export market remained relatively small, at five percent.

The United States and Russia remained the world's top military exporters, with market shares of 30 percent and 26 percent respectively, followed by Germany with seven percent, and France with six percent. But, China's rise to fifth place marked the first change in top five ranking in 20 years.

Pakistan has become increasingly reliant on China as a weapons supplier in recent years.

Retired Pakistani general and defense analyst Lt. General Talat Masoud said Islamabad buys a comprehensive range of Chinese military gear including tanks, fighter jets, patrol boats, guns, radars and other communications equipment.

Masoud added that Pakistan sees China as a reliable partner in times of crisis and a counter-weight to what he called India's 'hegemonic' ambitions in the region.

Burma has been developing its military with recent purchases of Chinese training aircraft and anti-ship missiles, said SIPRI arms transfer expert Mark Bromley. However, Russia continues to be Burma's main weapons supplier.

In response to the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Beijing 'always takes a responsible and cautious attitude toward arms exports' and follows three principles for such transfers. He said Chinese weapons sales must be justified by the recipient nation's self-defense needs, must not damage peace and security, and must not interfere in other countries' internal affairs.

Beijing does not release arms export figures.

SIPRI says its study of global weapons transfers uses data from official sources and media reports.

VOA's Kyaw Thein Kha and Iftikhar Hussain contributed to this report.