How China’s Self-Development is Reshaping the Global Arms Market

China’s weapon imports have significantly decreased. As China’s ability to develop weapons has improved, it appears to accelerate its domestication.

On the 11th, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) in Hong Kong, citing a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), reported that China’s weapon imports from 2019 to 2023 decreased by 44% compared to the previous five years from 2014 to 2018.

According to the report, China’s sharp decrease in weapon imports is due to its improved design and production capabilities. As the ability to develop weapons improves, the proportion of imports is expected to decrease further.

Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher at SIPRI, explained, “In recent years, China has domesticated weapon systems such as engines for fighters and transport aircraft imported from Russia and ship engines from Ukraine, France, and Germany.”

Looking at the proportion of China’s weapon-importing countries, Russia was the highest at 77%, followed by France at 13%. Despite the war with Russia, Ukraine maintained third place in China’s arms import countries at 8.2%. This is an increase from 5.9% in 2017-2021.

Wezeman stated, “We have not seen political rifts between Ukraine and China after Russia’s invasion affect arms deals.”

China supplied weapons to 40 countries in total. Although exports decreased by 5.3%, China still maintains fourth place in the world. Pakistan was the largest target country for China’s weapon exports (61%), followed by Bangladesh (11%) and Thailand (6%).

Meanwhile, according to the report, the country that imported the most weapons in the world was India, which is experiencing a border dispute with China, followed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. South Korea was ranked ninth. The largest weapon-exporting country in the world was the United States (42%), with France, Russia, and China ranking 2nd to 4th. South Korea was ranked tenth.