China's Arms Acquisitions from Abroad: A Quest for 'Superb and Secret Weapons'

The People's Republic of China seeks to attain military strength commensurate with its growing regional and international influence and to close the military-technological gap which has long separated it from the other major powers. To achieve its military modernization goals, China will continue its efforts to import the critical weapons and technologies it requires. Yet, for reasons rooted in both historical and contemporary contexts, China faces many difficulties and setbacks in this quest. China's Arms Acquisitions from Abroad documents and analyses the 150-year effort by China to strengthen its military forces through arms imports. Based on an historical understanding of the process, the report focuses mainly on contemporary transfers of weapons and technologies to China, particularly those from the Soviet Union and Russia, but also including imports from Israel, France, the United Kingdom, the United States and other suppliers. Relying on primary sources as well as on the most comprehensive collection of open-source data and information available on the subject, the report provides extensive documentation and a balanced assessment of past, current and likely future developments regarding Chinese arms imports. This unique study will prove useful to experts and officials concerned with security and regional affairs in East Asia.