Agencies
New Delhi, July 04:
China’s rise as a super power has always been under global scrutiny. Many countries in the West, as well as smaller countries, have raised concerns about China’s handling of issues. It is involved in a stalemate with the United States, particularly over the origin of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, which has killed hundreds of thousands across the globe.
The cautious approach is what has led to various countries going slow with importing the weapons made by China.
According to a report in Foreign Policy, after last month’s confrontation with the Philippines, where Chinese naval vessels entered Philippine waters without authorisation, few want to partner up with Beijing.
China’s neighbour India is involved in a border standoff with the People’s Liberation Army, leading to deterioration of bilateral ties, said Foreign Policy. Though it has imported weapons from other countries, India won’t consider China for the same, the magazine said.
A report released by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) earlier this year said that India is increasingly becoming self-reliant under its AtmanirbharBharat scheme, which is showing results.
India’s arms imports fell 33% between 2011-15 and 2016-20, the Sipri report said. In the same period, China’s exports fell 7.8%.
The Foreign Policy article said that snazzy weapons mean a lot less if you don’t have friends and this is why the world doesn’t want Beijing’s fighter jets, according to ANI.
China has made great strides in improving its state-owned aerospace technology base, particularly in the military realm. It has made aircraft like J-10, J-10C and FC-31.
But between 2000 and 2020, China exported just USD 7.2 billion worth of military aircraft, according to Sipri arms transfers database.
The United States stayed safely on top, exporting USD 99.6 billion, and Russia stayed in the second slot at USD 61.5 billion. Even France’s aircraft exports doubled China’s, at USD 14.7 billion.
The only country which is relying on China for weapons is Pakistan. Beijing accounted for 74% of Islamabad’s military imports during the last five years, up from 61% in 2011-15.
The best explanation for this failure is China’s foreign policy. The Philippines is a perfect illustration of why China’s fighter export ambitions have stalled, the article in the magazine.
