China has sold weapons to at least 98 countries in the past five yearsChina has sold a batch of its advanced portable anti-tank missiles to an undisclosed country for the first time. Analysts expect the HJ-12 missiles to help China to gain a bigger share in the global arms market because its advanced capabilities rival those of its western and Russian counterparts. “The smooth execution of the project is significant to the company in establishing its market hold and further expanding its share,” said China North Industries Group Corporation, or Norinco, a state-owned defence contractor. The transaction went through despite the coronavirus outbreak and Norinco said the buyer was in urgent need. Pakistan has been a big buyer of Chinese-made arms, although Beijing has in recent years added clients from southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Source: The Times March 30, 2020 23:26 UTC