China’s leading role in keeping Third World warriors armed

Press, 25 January 1988, Page 20

China’s leading role in keeping Third World warriors armed

Ken Coates, a feature writer for “The Press” who has just returned from two years in Peking, discusses China's expanding arms trade

BEHIND CHINA’S recent terse denial of sending its powerful Silkworm missiles to Iran is the reality of the nation’s humming arms industry — aimed mainly at sales for hard currency in the Third World. The United States has been repeatedly critical of evidence it says it has of Chinese-made missiles being used by Iran.

Western news agencies reported in October that although Peking had denied it sold arms to Teheran, Iran fired Chinesemade Silkworm missiles in several attacks on U.S.-flagged Kuwaiti tankers. The United States Government in late October decided to freeze the liberalisation of high technology exports to China in retaliation.

This meant United States companies were banned from exporting to China equipment for manufacturing computers and semiconductors, lasers and telecommunications products. The Chinese, of course, are doing what other industrialised countries are — supplying the voracious international arms market. A major push to expand China’s sales was reported in the West last year. It has been ranked as probably the world’s fifth-largest arms exporter, behind the United States, the Soviet Union, France and Britain. In the last Paris air show, Chinese weaponry sellers were busy extolling the virtues of the Silkworm and other deadly, if relatively old-fashioned, systems. Potential buyers were shown brightly-painted scale models of the Silkworm.

China also exhibited for the first time in Europe, a full-sized missile — the more advanced FL2, or Flying Dragon model.

United States officials and Western arms experts questioned in Paris said they believed Iran was among China’s best customers for coastal defence weaponry which; could be used with devastating; effect on Gulf shipping.

But a Chinese - official at the air show was quoted as saying China did not sell to either Iran or Iraq in accordance with China’s policy of neutrality. But he added that even if such sales did take place, it would be Chinese policy to keep them secret.

With a design based on the old-fashioned Soviet Styx missile, the Silkworm lacks the speed, accuracy and sophisticated waveskimming capability of the sinister Exocet missile developed by France. But its effective range of 95km means it could cause a shambles of death and destruction in a confined space. It also has an unusually powerful warhead, with the equivalent of 500 kg of TNT — more than three times the destructive power of the Exocet that crippled the American frigate, the USS Stark.

Administration officials recently said Iran may have received-a new shipment of Chinese-made Silkworms on a cargo ship? from North Korea. One official was quoted as saying “possibly there was only one.”

The Silkworm issue was raised in the glare of a highly successful press conference by the Chinese Communist Party leader, Mr Zhao Ziyang, at the conclusion of the thirteenth congress in Peking. Mr Zhao predictably denied China sold missiles to Iran. But according to Western correspondents, a number of people have independently confirmed that Chinese arms are being bought by the Iranians. Observers pointed out that it might not be the Chinese Government that is selling arms to Iran, but Chinese enterprises, which urgently want to get their hands on foreign currency, selling to arms dealers. One correspondent said it would be much more constructive and better for their image for the Chinese to say their Government was not selling arms to Iran, but that it was possible Chinese arms were reaching Iran. They could say they disapproved of this and were doing their best to stop it.

Iran has said it captured Silkworm missiles from Iraq, but the Iraqis have not bought them from China, according to observers. It is easy to arrange for the sale of Silkworms from North Korea, say, or some other third party. And this could be done with or without the knowledge of the original seller. In the latest Chinese Foreign Ministry denial, the wording is significant: “We have already taken strict measures very early to prevent the flow of Chinese missiles into Iran through the international market.” Just how successful those measures have been is not altogether clear. Western observers say much of the hard currency from arms sales is kept by the military, which can use it to buy more foreign weaponry. China cannot afford huge purchases of the latest war machines, but it selectively updates existing equipment which in turn becomes more attractive to potential Third World buyers. Most Chinese weapons consist of improved versions of Russian arms of the 19505.

The bargain prices of Chinese weapons appeal to Third World countries. Thailand, for example, is reported to be buying tanks at

a knock-down price of 5U5250.000 each, compared with the going world market rate of about SUSI.S million. Under Chairman Mao Tsetung, China’s arms were given freely to developing countries to win political influence. This changed with China’s drive, beginning in the late 19705, for modernisation, which required more earnings from exports. The Chinese arms industry struck it lucky with war and unrest in the Middle East and Africa. Egypt was a major customer as it replaced weapons lost in the Yom Kippur war in 1973 and sales between 1976 and 1983 were reported between SUSSOO million and SUS7OO million.

The Iran-Iraq war, which began seven years ago, provided more scope, according to Western observers. While the Chinese deny they sell arms to either side, it was widely reported that in 1982, China began to supply F 6 fighters to Iran, following that with a SUSI. 6 billion deal in 1985 for more of the same planes, plus tanks, artillery and missiles.

Iraq has reportedly bought 260 Chinese tanks and a large number of F 7 aircraft delivered via Egypt. Pakistan is also a major customer for armoured vehicles and aircraft. About 30 or 40 other Third World countries, many in Africa, buy arms from China, attracted by their low cost, toughness and easy-care qualities.

Of course a close look at where arms from the United States, Britain and other Western countries end up would be equally fascinating.