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Monthly Snapshot |
September 2022
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A military vehicle carrying a Wing Loong-I ("Pterodactyl") unmanned aerial vehicle / Photo by REUTERS/Jason Lee
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The Chinese Arms Sales Monthly Snapshot features open-source material on Chinese advanced conventional weapons sales during August 2022. The RAND Corporation seeks credible open-source material but does not verify the content of the open-source material on Chinese arms export sales to foreign government officials, non-governmental subject matter experts, and media outlets. Chinese arms exports are an important element of its growing military power and geopolitical influence. This activity is supported with funding from the U.S. Department of State.
Selection: Open source materials are selected for the Monthly Snapshot based on analyst judgement to illustrate the diversity of sources, regions, and weapons systems.
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08/19/2022 | RAND Corporation
To illustrate the spread of China's global military and security influence, RAND researchers developed a map that shows which countries received Chinese weapons, PSCs, or both in 2018–2021. The researchers found that 48 countries received Chinese weapons or PSCs during those years, including 14 countries that received both. The map, along with a table that the researchers created, shows China's expansive influence across Asia and Africa and into Latin America.
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Chinese Military Systems Export Marketing and Sales
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Africa's UAV Defence Imports August 24, 2022 | Times Aerospace Algeria reportedly is expected to have 60 UAVs in service by the end of the year, including Chinese-made UAVs. Algeria’s UAV imports from China will include “five CH5 Rainbow drones, armed with anti-tank missiles and guided bombs, and by an unknown number of Wing Loong 2 UAVs.”
Ukraine Uses Chinese-Origin Drone To Attack Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Base; The Uav Is Available Online For Sale August 23, 2022 | Eurasian Times According to recent reports on the Russia-Ukraine War, the Russian Black Sea Fleet base was attacked by Ukrainian forces using a Chinese-made fixed-wing UAV called ‘Sky Eye’. Ukraine has been reportedly purchasing and modifying these commercial drones to work as kamikaze drones.
China Is Now Courting Thailand, A Key US Ally, With Joint Military Drills & Massive Arms Sales August 22, 2022 | Eurasian Times Thailand's military has reportedly revived the deal to purchase Chinese-made S26T Yuan-class submarine from China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Company (CSOC), after the Royal Thai Navy’s concerns about the adequacy of the CHD620 diesel engine to meet the standards of the originally specified German-made MTU396 diesel engine. The Royal Thai Navy plans to complete testing and evaluations of the CHD620 diesel engine by the end of September.
China's AVIC Delivers Two MA600 Aircraft to Malawi August 02, 2022 | Smart Aviation Asia-Pacific China's Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group has "delivered two MA600 turboprop aircraft...to the Malawi Air Force after a five-day ferry flight through 13 countries." The article highlights that the MA600 has "Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127J turboprop engines with a higher thrust rating."
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How Putin's Ukraine War Has Only Made Russia More Reliant on China August 11, 2022 | Defense One Russia has grown increasingly reliant on China following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, positioning Russia as "clear junior partner in the Sino-Russian relationship, militarily and economically." China has reportedly "indirectly supported the Russian war machine by exporting off-road vehicles for transporting command personnel, as well as drone components and naval engines." The article highlights that despite Russia's historical comparative advantage via "advanced military technology at relatively low prices, and its willingness...to sell tanks, small arms, and fighter jets to nations regardless of the character of their governments," in the long-term China may fill the space in the market traditionally occupied by Russia.
Amid Russia-Ukraine War, China Could Dominate the Value Arms Market August 08, 2022 | The Diplomat This article argues that "China may receive a boost in sales and arms diplomacy in the 'value market' if Russian exports decline due to the Russian-Ukraine war." It defines the value market as "the arms market consisting of smaller transaction values of new and refurbished equipment." It highlights that China currently "is a major value market supplier, exporting lower cost items such as trucks, armored vehicles, human portable weapons, artillery, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), air defense, naval vessels, and sensors."
Sudan Discussing Acquisition of China's J-10C Fighters: New Squadron Could Be Africa's Finest August 06, 2022 | Military Watch The Sudanese Defense Ministry has reportedly begun talks to acquire Chinese J-10C fighter jets as part of its new generation of combat aircraft. The report claims the fighter would provide the Sudanese with avionics and network-centric warfare with the latest aerial warfare capabilities. There is a possibility of J-10 purchases being partly paid for in commodities or other Sudanese exports.
Malaysia to Acquire MALE UAV By 2025 August 03, 2022 | Flight Global The Royal Malaysian Air Force "aims to acquire a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned air vehicle (UAV) capability in 2025." This requirement "was a focus of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition in March 2019," with China displaying the AVIC Wing Loong-II through CATIC's exhibition.
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Chinese Defense Sector and Weapon System Issues
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Chinese Defence Firm Has Taken Over Lifting Venezuelan Oil For Debt Offset August 26, 2022 | Reuters Chinese state-owned defense firm, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), has reportedly been shipping millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil to independent refiners in China since November 2020, despite U.S. sanctions. An unknown source claimed that “CASIC was designated to move the oil as payment to offset Venezuelan debt (to China).”
Bangladesh Dissatisfied With China's Military Supplies Quality: Reports August 13, 2022 | The Print According to this article, "the Bangladesh Army expressed its displeasure with China North Industries Corporation (Norinco)'s supply of tank ammunition, rejecting it as not being tested." It notes that China is "in the process of setting up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre and submarine base in Bangladesh." Finally, it highlights a RAND study which "pointed to a lacuna in Chinese defence contracts, stating there is a lack of transparency and accountability."
Nepal Airlines At a Loss As Chinese Planes Begin to Rust August 12, 2022 | Asia News Network According to this report, "a batch of Chinese aircraft that Nepal had imported with high hopes of flying on unserved sectors and earning revenue for the ailing Nepal Airlines Corporation have been sitting on the ground for more than two years and gathering rust." This is because "the Chinese planes, the first of which arrived in 2014, cost more money to operate than they brought in, and Nepal Airlines was racking up losses dangerously." Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group produces the MA60, and Harbin Aircraft Industry Group produces the Y-12. China initially provided a grant and loan to Nepal "in order to sweeten the deal."
The Folly of Pakistan's China Gamble: Why Relying on Beijing Is a Bad Bet August 02, 2022 | Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka's recent crisis is "particularly chastening for Pakistan, a country that is heavily dependent on Chinese loans." Pakistan currently "owes nearly a quarter of its foreign debt to Beijing." Additionally, Pakistan is responsible for "47 percent of China's total global arms exports." The article notes that "some of Pakistan's Chinese-supplied equipment is faulty," highlighting a crash of a Chinese-made Wing Loong drone and noting that the "LY-80 Air Defense System, a missile-interception program, has also reported problems caused by poor-quality materials, oil leakages, and data disruption due to GPS malfunctions." Pakistan's military "depends on Chinese manufacturers for proprietary software, spare parts, and maintenance."
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Measures Impacting Sanctions
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US Adds 7 Chinese Aerospace And Chip Firms To Export Blacklist August 24, 2022 | South China Morning Post The U.S. Commerce Department added four Chinese research institutes acquiring or attempting to acquire U.S. technologies to support China’s military modernization campaign to its export blacklist. The research organizations are affiliated with China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s Ninth Academy, China Academy of Space Technology, and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation.
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The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis.
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This monthly snapshot is part of a U.S. government foreign assistance effort to help countries comply with U.S. and international sanctions associated with the purchase of Chinese advanced conventional weapons.
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