Bangladesh Army has expressed its displeasure with China North Industries Corporation (Norinco) over quality of tank ammunition suppplied, and rejected a consignment.

The Bangladeshi Navy also said it was dissatisfied with the radars provided by China Shipbuilding and Offshore International.

Chinese offered much more advantageous prices than Western companies. For this reason, the Army acquired light weapons, artillery and armoured vehicles produced (mostly copied) by Norinco, Bangladesh Live News reported citing a Roman news portal DIFESA Online.

B’desh government purchased defence equipment worth USD 3 billion from China over the period 2011-2020.

These include MBT-2000 tank, built by Norinco starting from the Type 90-IIM tank; Dhaka is also updating 170 Type 59 tanks to the Type 59G standard. More recently modified Type 69 fleet to the standard Type 69IIG.

More recently, China Precision Machinery Import Export Company (CPMIEC) supplied some equipment related to the HQ-7 short-range surface-to-air missiles, the news portal reported.

Beijing is also in the process of setting up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre and submarine base in Bangladesh.

Several problems, however, have been reported with respect to transport vehicles and missiles, including the engine, communication system and infrared guidance device, Bangladesh Live News reported.

China’s arms sales takes place primarily through state-run Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and North Industries Corporation (NORINCO).

Arms transfers also are a component of China’s foreign policy, used in conjunction with other types of assistance to complement foreign policy initiatives undertaken as part of One Belt, One Road initiative.

According to the experts, many countries have little or no faith in Chinese companies because of poor after-sales service. .

China also does not have the ability to manufacture highly sophisticated parts as it is still not considered a first-rate developer and producer of state-of-the-art military material, according to a report,

China is not only increasing its arms sales, but also military training and investment in its lender countries.

Other than Bangladesh; Pakistan, Thailand, and Africa are China’s clients for arms and ammunition. China has also sold 36 J-10C fighters to Pakistan and delivered HQ-22 (FK-3) surface-to-air missiles (SAM) to Serbia.

Countries like Tanzania, Nigeria, Sudan, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Gabon, Algeria, Namibia, Ghana and Ethiopia are among the top importers of Chinese arms.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)’s recent report, nearly half of Chinese weapon exports – 47 per cent, in fact – went to its closest ally Pakistan, while Beijing’s next largest clients were Bangladesh and Thailand at 16 pc and 5 pc respectively, as per the media portal.###

• Based on a report in Asian Age, Dhaka