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NDTV
6 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Inside China's 'Low-Cost' Arms Exports, Serving Everyone From Pak To West Africa
During Operation Sindoor, the Pakistani armed forces displayed their 'Made in China' export-variant arsenal. This included the use of the HQ-9P and HQ-16 surface-to-air missiles, the PL-15E air-to-air missile, the JL-10CE fighter, and the co-produced JF-17 'Thunder' Block III jet. Pakistan is China's biggest client, accounting for 63% of China's total arms export basket between 2020 and 2024. From a Pakistani perspective, China accounts for 81% of its defence imports. China's arms exports to Pakistan are one part of a complex military production, export, and diplomacy ecosystem that Beijing has built. Over the years, China has focused on becoming self-reliant in the defence manufacturing domain. This process has included making export variants of major weapons. That said, there are challenges that China faces in its defence export agenda. These include political issues and quality-related concerns that make Beijing the lesser-preferred option over the world's top three defence exporters: the US, Russia, and France. Nonetheless, China's defence export market is expanding. And this has significant implications for India. Growing Military-Industrial Complex China's military-industrial complex comprises a few, large corporations that focus on innovation and self-reliance. These primarily include the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), and China North Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO). They are all State-Owned Defence Enterprises, largely under the administrative control of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) of the State Council. Many of them have been on the Global Fortune 500 lists, and together, they own over 2000 subsidiaries, R&D labs, listed companies and global branch institutions. NORINCO International Ltd., for example, owns oil fields in Iraq and operates R&D and manufacturing facilities in Saudi Arabia. These entities operate on the concept of 'Military-Civil Fusion'. This means that their production cycles conform to the operational requirements of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), and most commercial/civilian products can also be deployed for military purposes at the Party-state's request. Hence, these firms concentrate their expertise on a particular industrial cluster of importance to the PLA. The CETC, for example, is the PLA's primary radar, communications infrastructure, and electronics supplier. AVIC, and specifically, its main subsidiary, the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG), has its hand in the production of most of China's J-series fighter jets. CSSC, which is the world's largest shipbuilding group, produces most of the PLA Navy's warships. Together, CAIG, CASIC and CASC have also produced most of China's military drones, such as the CH 'Rainbow' series, the Wing Loong series, and the Wuzhen High-Altitude, Long Endurance (HALE) UAV series. The agenda and priorities for defence production, R&D and safety and quality are laid down by China's chief regulatory body in the military-industrial domain, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND). Naturally, defence production must comply with SASTIND's technological, safety and quality certification standards. In addition, party and government institutions like the Ministry of Industry and IT, Ministry of Commerce, and the Logistics Department of the Central Military Commission, together lay down regulations regarding ideological commitment of defence SOEs, innovation and export control, and management of talent. China's Export Philosophy Since 2022, China's defence budget has consistently witnessed a year-on-year rise of 7.2%. A significant chunk of this money goes into producing defence goods. Of course, part of this expansion of defence production is driven by a profit motive, with Chinese weapons finding their way to warring parties. An example is Myanmar, where Chinese arms are available to both the junta government, and the Rakhine-based insurgent group, the 'Brotherhood Alliance'. Sometimes, China is also a supplier of last resort for entities seeking low-cost military equipment. One example is Pakistan, which has imported low-cost export variants of the Chengdu J-10C fighter jet. Many of these entities, however, have also included non-state actors such as insurgent groups in Chad and Syria, who were found to be in possession of the Chinese-made FN-6 Man-Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS). Despite the controversies arising from such sales, China veils its exports and uses 'non-interference' in internal matters of other countries as justification. A 'Technological Gap' It is worth noting that Beijing only prioritises international sales of export variant arms, which are usually of lower quality, and keeps the most advanced and efficient defence systems for itself. Chinese commentators also seem to acknowledge that even though China has a cost advantage with a few arms and ammunition, there exists a 'technological gap' and a lack of competitiveness against Western alternatives in major arms, such as fighter jets, aircraft carriers, and large warships. Hence, Beijing believes in maintaining loyal clients, who are developing economies with restricted international options. This can explain why, in addition to Pakistan, China has emerged as the largest arms supplier for West Africa too, accounting for 26% of the region's arms imports in the last five years. It is establishing a footprint in the Middle East as well, but is not a dominant player yet. Further, China entangles arms sales with defence cooperation and norm entrepreneurship in global security. Xi Jinping's flagship Global Security Initiative (GSI) aims to do just this. Many GSI-friendly countries have become China's top arms importers. With economies in the ASEAN and Indian Ocean Region (IOR), China has penned joint military cooperation agreements, which provide its arms and ammunition exports a boost. For example, in the aftermath of the recent establishment of a China-Indonesia Joint Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue on April 21, 2025, Jakarta announced that it is finalising a deal to buy 42 J-10CE fighters from Beijing. Further, with hard basing in Djibouti and likely soft basing in areas like Cambodia's Ream Naval base and Myanmar's Kyaukphyu port, Chinese troops and naval vessels are finding homes abroad and are testing capabilities in the Indian Ocean. Changing Export Basket For the longest time, China specialised in the sales of military-grade Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), which include MANPADS, guided anti-tank weapons, mortars and cannons, rifles, and machine guns. Until 2012, most of these weapons went to developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Nigeria, and Venezuela. More recently, China's defence export products have featured an extensive arsenal of submarines, aircraft, missiles, and artillery, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), electronic, communications, and light vehicle components. Since 2011-12, China has gained substantial traction in drone exports. In civilian space, China is already the world's largest producer and exporter of drones. Between 2017 and 2024, the UAE, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, DR Congo, and Pakistan were some of the largest importers of China's armed, surveillance & reconnaissance, and attack UAVs. In terms of exports of missile technology, China delivered 896 FN-6 portable surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) to Pakistan in 2021, 200 of the QW-11 SAMs to Bangladesh in 2024, and a total of 390+ SAMs and anti-ship/ land attack missiles of various classes to Cambodia. In terms of maritime defence, China's most infamous CSSC shipyards have been the largest suppliers of naval hulls to US allies like Singapore. Since 2010, more than 70% of Bangladesh's defence imports have also come from China. These include two submarines positioned at BNS Pekua, and purchased by Dhaka for a price of $203 million. It is evident that China is expanding its arms export market share, albeit at a slow rate. India's main concerns, however, remain the actors who are acquiring Chinese weaponry and their level of dependence. Especially in India's immediate neighbourhood, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are emerging as China's key defence clients. This presages the PLA's enhanced presence in the region. (Manoj Kewalramani is the Chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme at the Takshashila Institution. Anushka Saxena is a Research Analyst with Takshashila's Indo-Pacific Studies Programme.)
The Star
29-05-2025
- Science
- The Star
Elon Musk's Hyperloop has a key flaw. Chinese scientists may have found ‘cure'
Chinese scientists claimed to have solved a critical flaw in the futuristic vision of ultra-high speed ground travel, potentially salvaging vacuum-tube maglev technology and casting new light on the challenges faced by Elon Musk's Hyperloop concept. A study published by China's peer-reviewed Journal of Railway Science and Engineering on May 16 showed that even minor imperfections – such as uneven coils or bridge deformations – would turn a journey into an ordeal, even in near-airless tunnels. But the engineers – who are working at the world's first full-scale test line in central China – also said they found a way to slash turbulence intensity by nearly a half, reducing 'extremely severe bumps' to levels that were 'pronounced, but not unpleasant'. The researchers, led by Zhao Ming from the maglev and electromagnetic propulsion division of state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), said they used supercomputer simulations and scaled-down prototype tests for the study. The team found that track irregularities and electromagnetic resonance were enough to trigger violent low-frequency vibrations in maglev cars travelling at the technology's cruising speed of 1,000km/h (612mph). Using the 1940s-era Sperling Index, an international metric for ride comfort, the study showed that oscillations amplified at specific speeds, with a peak at 400km/h (249mph) reaching a level of vibration deemed 'extremely unpleasant'. At the next peak, which occurred when the cars were travelling at 600km/h (373mph), the researchers recorded a Sperling Index of 4.2 – a level at which prolonged exposure to the vibrations would be harmful. According to the paper, once the test cars reached cruising speeds of 1,000km/h, the vibrations lessened to 3.1 on the Sperling Index – defined as 'barely tolerable'. A system that propels magnetically levitated pods through low-pressure tubes at near-supersonic speeds was first proposed by Musk in 2013, in a white paper that captivated engineers around the world. Attempts to develop the Hyperloop concept at a SpaceX test track ended in 2023, after a number of technical hurdles, including the challenge of maintaining vacuum integrity and stabilising pods at extreme velocities. In contrast, China is charging ahead, with the stakes transcending the engineering challenges. Beijing has made ultra-high-speed magnetic levitation tech a national research priority that could not only redefine global transit, but also transform other critical sectors, including the race to achieve low-cost space launches. The test facility in Datong, Shanxi province, represents Beijing's bet that China will dominate the next generation of public transport. To that end, its engineers have achieved airtight concrete, millimetre-precision joints and other hard-won feats. According to the research team, without physical contact between train and track, the system's electromagnetic forces interact with the cabin in unpredictable ways. The result is resonance that would rattle passengers 'with extreme levels of instability'. 'Our research accounted for track irregularities, vertical bending of bridges, and single-frequency excitations induced by lateral irregularities in ground coils,' wrote Zhao and his colleagues. 'Under track excitation at an equivalent speed of 1,000km/h, the car body exhibited peak vibration amplitudes at frequencies of 2.6 Hz, 5.2 Hz, 7.8 Hz, and 10.4 Hz,' they added. To overcome the problem, the Chinese team developed a hybrid suspension system combining passive air springs with electromagnetic actuators that are controlled by artificial intelligence. The electricity-powered actuators adopt two cutting-edge control strategies, the paper said. One is a so-called sky-hook that mimics an imaginary damper linking the cabin to a stationary 'sky', using real-time velocity feedback to neutralise low-frequency jolts. The other strategy, PID control, adjusts suspension forces via proportional, integral, and derivative algorithms, optimised by an NSGA-II genetic AI method to handle variable track conditions. When tested on a 1:10 scale model with six-axis motion simulators, the system reduced vertical vibration intensity, measured as a root mean square acceleration, by 45.6 per cent under realistic track profiles. Sperling Index scores stayed below 2.5 – 'more pronounced but not unpleasant' – across all speeds, according to the study. The researchers said there were still some challenges ahead, such as scaling up the suspension tech for full-sized trains and ensuring that they would work in emergency braking and other extreme conditions.
South China Morning Post
28-05-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Elon Musk's Hyperloop can be ‘extremely unpleasant', China project scientists have ‘cure'
Chinese scientists claimed to have solved a critical flaw in the futuristic vision of ultra-high speed ground travel, potentially salvaging vacuum-tube maglev technology and casting new light on the challenges faced by Elon Musk's Hyperloop concept. A study published by China's peer-reviewed Journal of Railway Science and Engineering on May 16 showed that even minor imperfections – such as uneven coils or bridge deformations – would turn a journey into an ordeal, even in near-airless tunnels. But the engineers – who are working at the world's first full-scale test line in central China – also said they found a way to slash turbulence intensity by nearly a half, reducing 'extremely severe bumps' to levels that were 'pronounced, but not unpleasant'. The researchers, led by Zhao Ming from the maglev and electromagnetic propulsion division of state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), said they used supercomputer simulations and scaled-down prototype tests for the study. The team found that track irregularities and electromagnetic resonance were enough to trigger violent low-frequency vibrations in maglev cars travelling at the technology's cruising speed of 1,000km/h (612mph). Using the 1940s-era Sperling Index, an international metric for ride comfort, the study showed that oscillations amplified at specific speeds, with a peak at 400km/h (249mph) reaching a level of vibration deemed 'extremely unpleasant'.
The Star
16-05-2025
- Science
- The Star
China's bullet-shape satellite test paves the way for very low orbit surveillance network
China has completed key technology checks for an experimental satellite in very low Earth orbit (VLEO), marking an initial step towards building a 300-satellite constellation for high-resolution remote sensing and communications, according to local media. Chutian-001, which was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre a year ago, showed core capabilities – including satellite system performance, high-resolution smart imaging and space environment monitoring – Hubei Daily reported. The outlet said the tests showed major progress in key areas, such as precise satellite control in very low orbits, real-time target detection using domestically developed technologies and multi-sensor monitoring of the near-Earth environment. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. The report did not disclose the satellite's altitude or specifications such as mass or size. However, images from last year's Zhuhai air show revealed the satellite's streamlined, bullet-shaped body designed to reduce atmospheric drag, a key challenge for spacecraft operating below 300km (186 miles) where air resistance is much greater. VLEO satellites typically circle the Earth at altitudes between 150km and 300km, offering advantages such as lower signal latency, stronger transmission, reduced power needs and potentially lower launch costs. However, they must regularly fire on-board thrusters to counter atmospheric drag, which shortens their lifespan and demands more frequent replacement. As part of China's broader effort to grow its commercial space sector, the Chutian constellation project was launched in July 2023 by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC) in partnership with the Hubei provincial government. The constellation will be deployed in three phases. During the initial technology and service verification stage, one experimental satellite was scheduled for launch last year to test operations in very low orbit. Over 2024-25, a cluster of nine satellites will follow to show real-time Earth observation capabilities. The second phase from 2026 to 2030 will focus on large-scale deployment. It aims to establish a 300-satellite network offering continuous global coverage with a range of imaging types – visible light, synthetic aperture radar, hyperspectral, and infrared – and response times as short as 15 minutes. After 2030, the project will enter an integration and expansion phase, completing the full business system and pushing global response times to under 10 minutes. According to Zhang Chuan, project leader at CASIC, the Chutian constellation will support a wide range of applications, from disaster response and watershed management to agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The system is designed for high revisit rates, fast data processing, intelligent analysis and near-instant downlink capabilities. 'For disaster response and unexpected emergencies, the constellation will eventually support mission dispatch within minutes and transmit live updates from affected areas in real time,' he told China News Service in April 2024. Zhang said the constellation would also benefit the public who in future might use smart devices to access satellite-based services, such as navigation support for autonomous driving, alerts about hazardous road conditions and the real-time monitoring of crowd density, enabled by intelligent cloud detection and change analysis. More from South China Morning Post: For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2025.
India.com
14-05-2025
- Business
- India.com
This country is planning to send 300 bullet-shaped satellites in space, its part of a dangerous..., India must remain alert due to...
China is planning to launch a 300-satellite constellation of bullet-shaped satellites. Chutian project: In a worrying development amid India-Pakistan tensions, China– Pakistan's 'all-weather-ally'– is planning to launch a constellation of bullet-shaped satellites into Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), aimed to build a surveillance network, which could potentially capture images of any location around the world. China to launch 300-satellite constellation According to a report by the South China Morning Post, China's Chutian project, which aims to build a 300-satellite constellation for high-resolution remote sensing and communication, as well as surveillance, has passed key technology checks. A year ago, China had launched the Chutian-001 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC), displayed core capabilities, including satellite system performance, high-resolution smart imaging and space environment monitoring, the report said. Chutian project to be deployed in 3 phases Local local media sources, the report said the Chutian constellation will be deployed in three phases. In the first, initial technology and service verification stage, one experimental satellite was scheduled for launch last year to test operations in VLEO, after which a cluster of cluster of nine satellites will follow in 2025, to demonstrate real-time Earth observation capabilities, it said. The Chutian project will enter its second phase from 2026-2030, focusing on large-scale deployment, during which CASIC aims to complete a 300-satellite network offering continuous global coverage with a range of imaging types – visible light, synthetic aperture radar, hyperspectral, and infrared – and response times as short as 15 minutes, the report said. The third phase will be focused on integration and expansion, completing the full business system and pushing global response times to under 10 minutes, it added. Zhang Chuan, project leader at CASIC, said the Chutian constellation will support a wide range of applications, from disaster response and watershed management to agriculture, forestry and fisheries, adding the satellite system is designed for high revisit rates, fast data processing, intelligent analysis and near-instant downlink capabilities. What are the potential military uses and why India's must remain alert? According to experts, the Chutian constellation could be used as a global surveillance network, providing real-time target detection with precise satellite control and domestically developed technologies. This could pose a potential security threat to China's rivals, especially India after the recent developments where Beijing openly supported Pakistan in its conflict with India. Notably, the bullet-shaped body of the Chutian satellites is designed to reduce atmospheric drag, which is a major challenge for satellites operating below 300 km (186 miles), where air resistance is much higher. VLEO satellites typically orbit Earth at altitudes between 150 km and 300 km.
