President of Mali Inspects the Army, a Small Detail Surprises the West: Are Chinese Weapons So Popular Now?
In a recent military parade hosted by Malian President Assimi Goïta, a seemingly trivial scene caught the attention of Western media. The bodyguard standing by Goïta's side was not wielding a traditional Western-style submachine gun, but a compact and modern-looking light automatic weapon.
After identification, it turned out to be the Chinese CS/LS7 submachine gun, the export version of the QBZ-171 submachine gun.
The article laments that Chinese weapons are penetrating into the traditionally Western-dominated African security market at an unexpected speed and breadth.
Since 2020, relations between Mali and former colonial powers such as France have deteriorated sharply. In 2022, Mali even formally requested the withdrawal of French forces. At the same time, Mali has strengthened its security cooperation with non-Western countries such as China and Russia.
This strategic realignment is directly reflected in equipment procurement. When Western arms supplies are restricted or interrupted for various reasons, Mali urgently needs alternatives, and Chinese weapons are clearly more cost-effective than Russian ones, with more advanced functions. This has made Chinese weapons the top choice for the Malian army. In fact, Mali is just a microcosm, and there are many similar examples.
From Sudan to Nigeria, from Algeria to Zimbabwe, Chinese assault rifles, sniper rifles, armored vehicles, and even drone systems are increasingly appearing on the equipment lists of armies across African countries. This obviously makes the West uncomfortable, but Dao Ge believes it is closely related to the decline of Western power.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1852169815887883/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.