China capturing Russian weapons markets in Africa

upi ^ | 12/24/08 | ANDREI CHANG

[Flavius]

HONG KONG, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- The People's Republic of China is increasingly challenging Russia in the African arms trade, offering lower prices on weapons that, ironically, are often made in China with Russian technologies.

Chinese products are less expensive than Russian and Western systems. They are similar to the Russian systems that many African countries are familiar with, and they are also easy to maintain and easy to use in training.

Many countries in Africa are therefore switching allegiance to the People's Republic of China for their weapons purchases. A typical example is Sudan. At a 2007 military parade, the Khartoum regime showcased its China-made T96 Main Battle Tanks and T92 wheeled armored vehicles.

[Niuhuru]

Great, just great. Right when Obama is getting elected and will begin to dismantle our military the Chinese are busy doing everything they can to build and improve theirs.

We must honestly be the only country that actively sabotages itself and it’s best people.

[Flavius]

Rome use to be really powerful, now they have nice shoes and cars

we dont even have cars anymore

[ASOC]

More on the systems
T96
http://www.sinodefence.com/army/tank/type96.asp

T 92
http://www.sinodefence.com/army/armour/zsl92.asp

BOth look like recycled tech, one from USSR, the other West Germany.

[padre35]

There is money to be made in the Arms Trade..

It always amazes me that countries with starving populations can find the cash to buy weapons systems to suppress rather then feed their own populaces.

[randomhero97]

It always amazes me that countries with starving populations can find the cash to buy weapons systems to suppress rather then feed their own populaces.

Which is all subidized by the UN.

[mylife]

Type 56’s all around!

[padre35]

Not so much in the Sudan, the ChiComs are heavily invested in the Sudanese Oil industry, unfortunately for non Arab Muslim Sudanese, they happen to live in the oil producing areas..

But the UN is a arms player in most of sub Saharan Africa..

Personally I think the actual ordinary decent residents would be better served with a Swiss style arrangement..but it is Africa after all..

[myknowledge]

Indeed. Military hardware such as missiles, bombs, rockets, small arms and ammo, choppers and even jets are the #1 toys for any crackpot dictator running a Turd World rogue nation. Type 96 MBT Su-30MK Flanker BM-21 Grad