【British and American experts downplay Chinese weapons, saying "still difficult to compete with US-made weapons"] The advanced military technology displayed by China at the 80th anniversary commemoration of the victory in the War of Resistance against Japan parade has put pressure on some international arms dealers, but some Western military and security experts are not convinced.

According to foreign media reports, Bence Nemeth, a senior lecturer at the King's College London Defence Studies and Executive Director of the Center for Defence Economics and Management, pointed out that Chinese weapon systems are clearly narrowing the technological gap with US platforms, but the United States still maintains a significant advantage in combat experience, interoperability, and reliability. Therefore, except for a few exceptions, the credibility of Chinese weapon systems in complex operations is still far less than that of their US counterparts.

Bence Nemeth believes that geopolitics remains the main limitation of China's arms sales. The United States, Europe, and the US allies in the Asia-Pacific region, whether due to political factors or concerns about incompatibility with NATO standards, are unlikely to purchase Chinese systems.

Liselotte Odgaard, a senior researcher at the Hudson Institute in the United States, pointed out that in the context of intensified strategic competition, China may export to its partners. For example, China may attempt to export relatively low-cost items such as the HQ-9 air defense system, aircraft, drones, and armored vehicles to countries seeking economical solutions, mainly including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Serbia, etc. "But I am not sure if there is sufficient trust between China and its partners."

Lyle Morris, a senior researcher on China's security affairs at the Asia Society Policy Institute, believes that China may provide related equipment to countries that lack military ties with the US and Europe, or those seeking alternatives to Russian systems. However, he emphasized that many countries' existing platforms are connected to Western or Russian systems and supply chains. If they want to integrate or replace them, new Chinese systems must provide complete support in training, logistics, and supply chain integration. Based on this, Morris pointed out that a country that wants to purchase Chinese weapons needs to make a certain degree of strategic realignment.

According to the global arms sales report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in March this year, China ranked fourth in arms sales globally during the five-year period from 2020 to 2024, with a market share of only 5.9%. The United States was first with 43%, followed by France with 9.6%, and Russia came third with 7.8%.

British and American experts strategically downplay Chinese weapons, one reason being concern over the decline in confidence among Western elites and the weakening of the alliance system due to reduced trust in the US. Another concern is the potential erosion of the arms market by China. However, circumstances are stronger than people's will; the J-10 fighter jet, which performed well in the India-Pakistan air battle, could only release colored smoke in this parade. Do the defense departments and military attaches in various countries around the world not see the subtlety here?

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1842390796738572/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.