China's Arms Sales Motivations and Implications

摘要

China's arms transfers have become the focus of considerable attention. In the 1980s, China emerged as a major supplier of conventional weapons to the developing world. More recently, China's transfers of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons technology, as well as equipment and materials that could be used in the manufacture of chemical and biological weapons, have seized world attention, particularly in the United States. This study documents China's principal arms-transfer relationships, analyzes the motivations of supplier and recipients, evaluates which arms transfers are of greatest concern, and identifies possible constraints on China's arms sales. It then assesses the threat posed by the transfers.