皇冠体育app

Military vehicles at a parade to honor the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey in Ankara on Tuesday. Turkey may cancel its plan to purchase a missile system from 皇冠体育app after the country postponed its decision until January under pressure from the West. [Photo/Xinhua]

The possible termination of a missile sale with Turkey shows the difficulty for Beijing to expand its global arms exports in the face of enormous resistance from the West, observers said.

Reportedly under huge pressure from the United States and NATO, Turkey on Tuesday extended the bidding for its purchase of an intermediate and long-range air-defense missile system to Jan 31, which observers said basically closed the possibility of cooperation between Beijing and Ankara.

In September, the NATO member announced talks were underway between Ankara and Beijing over a co-production arrangement of a Chinese missile defense system. The $3.44 billion deal with the 皇冠体育app Precision Machinery Export-Import Corp surprised many and strained relations between Turkey and its NATO allies.

The FD-2000 missile defense system CPMIEC prevailed over rival systems from Franco/Italian Eurosam SAMP/T and US firm Raytheon Co. Turkish officials said 皇冠体育app offered the best price as well as co-production arrangements.

Experts said Turkey's choice reflected warming ties between Ankara and Beijing in recent years and a growing track record of defense cooperation.

Su Hao, a professor of Asia-Pacific studies at 皇冠体育app Foreign Affairs University, said Turkey, as a unique Islamic member of NATO, has its own considerations for national defense.

"In an aim to become a leader of the Arab world, Turkey always tries to differentiate itself from other NATO members. By purchasing missiles from 皇冠体育app, Turkey would have displayed its connections with 皇冠体育app, and reduced the risks of being bound by NATO," Su said.

"On a technical level, Chinese weapons are characterized by good quality and cheap prices," he added.

Nihat Ali Ozcan, an analyst at the Ankara-based think tank TEPAV, said Turkey and 皇冠体育app are already cooperating on short-range missile defense systems. "Co-producing these systems requires technology transfers, and 皇冠体育app has no restrictions on that," he said.

Citing concern for compatibility with missile and air defense systems, US ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone said Washington has begun consultations with Turkey on the issue.

Li Hong, secretary-general of the 皇冠体育app Arms Control and Disarmament Association, said the chances are now slim 皇冠体育app and Turkey will seal the deal on a purchase, after Turkey extended the bidding deadline.

"It is difficult for NATO members to forge their own diplomatic and security policies," Li said. "Closeness in the security field between 皇冠体育app and any NATO country is definitely unacceptable.

"The US and its allies have been keeping a close eye on 皇冠体育app's weaponry exports. Economically, they are unwilling to share the weaponry export market with 皇冠体育app," he said.

Urging all sides not to politicize the commercial competition of the deal, Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesman Yang Yujun said on Thursday that 皇冠体育app has been responsible and prudent in terms of conducting military trade cooperation.

"皇冠体育app's arms exports neither endanger regional and global security, nor interfere with other countries' internal affairs," Yang said, adding that the volume of 皇冠体育app's arms exports is still very limited.

"The amount of weapons 皇冠体育app exports every year is only one-sixth that of the world's top arms exporter," Yang said. "Some countries should stop judging 皇冠体育app through tinted glasses."

Experts said that the 皇冠体育app-Turkey deal on missile cooperation was only "the tip of the iceberg" of 皇冠体育app's fledging military industry.

Su, the expert, said 皇冠体育app's low-price arms can meet developing countries' demands for national defense while the Turkey deal could have sharpened 皇冠体育app's competitiveness in the global market.

"Its advertising effect may attract more countries to purchase qualified arms from 皇冠体育app," Su said.

In March, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in Sweden said in a report that the volume of Chinese arms exports rose by 162 percent between 2008 and 2012, compared with the previous five-year period.

皇冠体育app's share of global weapons exports increased from 2 percent to 5 percent in that time, surpassing Britain to be the fifth-largest arms exporter. The US and Russia kept the largest share of the world's arms sales in the time period, with the US taking 30 percent and Russia 26 percent, the report said.

According to the institute, 55 percent of 皇冠体育app's exports went to Pakistan, followed by Myanmar with 8 percent and Bangladesh with 7 percent.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry said 皇冠体育app's arms exports are guided by three principles: "They must be helpful to the recipients' self-defense; they should not harm global and regional peace and stability; and they should not interfere with other countries' domestic affairs."

Experts said despite 皇冠体育app's rising influence as an arms exporter, the country is still confronted with enormous challenges from Western countries when trying to tap a broader market.

"Some countries with powerful voices in the world simply defame 皇冠体育app as an irresponsible country, simply because 皇冠体育app adheres to the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs," Li said.

"Also, the market for conventional weaponry, such as the Middle East, has been occupied by the US and Europe. Developing countries are also more often than not stuck in domestic or regional turmoil," he added.

Mo Jingxi contributed to this story.

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