Is China About To Become A Major International Arms/Weapons Buyer?

Military Strength Eludes China, Which Looks Overseas For Arms -- Washington Post

MOSCOW - The Moscow Machine-Building Enterprise Salyut on the east side of town has put up a massive Soviet-style poster advertising its need for skilled workers. The New Year's party at the Chernyshev plant in a northwest suburb featured ballet dancers twirling on the stage of its Soviet-era Palace of Culture.

The reason for the economic and seasonal cheer is that these factories produce fighter-jet engines for a wealthy and voracious customer: China. After years of trying, Chinese engineers still can't make a reliable engine for a military plane.

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My Comment: The Chinese may hold an inferior position in weapons research/development and the world's arms trade in general .... but this is only a temporary situation. Like everything else that the Chinese have done .... they have the people, the resources, the monies, the skills .... and more the importantly .... the will to be number one (or close to it) in any field that they choose to focus their energies on.

The military is an important focus for them now .... and while I expect them to be a buyer of weapon systems (and R&D) from other countries for the foreseeable future ..... I also expect them to change this arrangement as they become more proficient and acknowledge-able on how to develop and manage an industrial-military complex.