China's One Belt, One Road Initiative and Its International Arms Sales

摘要

China's OB OR will be a developing narrative of the twenty-first century. Its potential to change the geopolitical and economic landscape of Eurasia will undoubtedly result in changes in diplomatic relationships and great power strategies. Since September and October 2013, when Chinas maritime road and economic belt were announced by General Secretary Xi and Premier Li, Chinas customer base for arms exports has expanded to include OB OR participant countries that previously had no relationship with China. This development, while a result of the interplay of complex geopolitical considerations between China and Russia as well as Chinas overall strategy to extend its influence beyond its national and regional borders reflective of Xi's nationalist China Dream policy, is part of a concerted effort by China to build stronger political and security ties with OBOR designated countries. As pipelines, telecommunications lines, roads, and other infrastructural projects "hardwire" country-to-country relations, arms exports are indicative of a maturing and long-term security relationship due to the deliberate decision for a client country to model their military development, organization, and capabilities along the lines of the selling country. The necessity for ongoing maintenance of military hardware as well as the need for continued munitions imports or licenses to manufacture adds another layer of depth for countries with military-to-military relations. Among China's preferred methods to sell its arms to mostly countries designated as emerging or frontier markets are to advance credits for the client country to purchase arms for debt, conduct a quid pro quo exchange of weapons for commodities, or in other cases, arms for cash.