China’s weapons may face mounting questions over quality, reliability and after-sales support, but its arms trade still serves a larger strategic purpose: locking vulnerable states into long-term military, economic and political dependence.
That paradox is at the center of a June 2026 report by The Takshashila Institution, which argues that China’s rise as a major global arms exporter has outpaced its ability to guarantee battlefield performance and life-cycle support.
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