A new report shows China's arms imports fell 72% from 2021 to 2025, as the country turns to domestic production. Meanwhile, neighbors in Asia and Oceania have increased weapons purchases amid fears over China's intentions.
Beijing's arms imports have nose-dived by nearly three-quarters over the past five years, as it has replaced overseas weapons purchases with domestic technology, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released on Monday.
However, other countries in the region have increased their overseas weapons purchases amid “fears over China’s intentions”. The report said countries in Asia and Oceania imported 31 per cent of the world’s arms between 2021 and 2025, second only to Europe on 33 per cent.
Nevertheless, the region’s share of arms imports was 20 per cent lower than in the previous five-year period. This was mainly because of falls in arms sales to China, where imports fell 72 per cent, as well as in South Korea, which cut purchases by 54 per cent, and Australia, which bought 39 per cent less, the report said.
According to SIPRI, China was the 21st-largest recipient of major arms globally, falling out of the world’s top 10 largest recipients for the first time since 1991-95.
