Helicopters are the last homemade weapon that has caused China trouble.

According to SCMP , by the end of last year, new versions of aircraft and warships using Chinese engines had been produced, without having to rely on foreign supplies. However, no combat helicopter models have yet been introduced by Beijing.

"Helicopters are probably the last and most difficult challenge. Helicopter production is extremely complex, and China has had problems in this area for a long time. That's why they continue to produce French helicopters under license and import Russian helicopters," said Siemon Wezeman, senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

“However, China has proven that it can produce engines, rotors and transmission systems. It still imports helicopters from Russia, but in very limited numbers. Meanwhile, new Chinese designs are emerging and will likely dominate the market in the coming years,” said Mr. Wezeman.

Russian Mi-171 helicopter. (Photo: Tass)

According to SIPRI, Russia remains China's largest foreign supplier, accounting for 77% of the country's arms imports from 2019 to 2023, including aircraft engines and helicopter systems. France ranked second with 13%.

Despite its conflict with Russia, Ukraine remains China’s third-largest source of imports, at 8.2%. Kiev supplies gas turbines for destroyers and engines for Beijing’s L-15 trainer/light combat aircraft.

SIPRI did not mention how China's imports from Russia and Ukraine changed after the conflict between the two countries broke out in early 2022. However, previous reports from the institute said Ukraine accounted for 5.9% of China's total arms imports in 2017-2021.

Siemon Wezeman, senior researcher at the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme, said Russia could not replace Ukraine in supplying some weapons equipment to China.

“Russia does not manufacture gas turbines or jet engines, and Russia itself is actually dependent on Ukraine for similar engines for its ships and trainer/combat aircraft,” Wezeman said.

Wezeman said China has localized some systems in the past few years, such as engines for fighter and transport aircraft that it imports from Russia, or marine engines from Ukraine, France and Germany.

However, there is no sign of a political shift between Beijing and Kiev.

“From what we have seen, any change in China’s arms relations with Ukraine is linked to Beijing’s growing ability to design and produce its own weapons – as part of a long-standing policy,” Wezeman said.

“The conflict with Russia from 2022 may make it more difficult for Ukrainian companies to export weapons equipment to China, but this could give Beijing more impetus to its own efforts,” he added. “We have not seen the political rift between Ukraine and China affecting arms relations.”

According to SIPRI, China has nearly halved its arms imports over the past five years in favor of domestically produced weapons.

Specifically, China's arms imports from 2019 to 2023 decreased by 44% compared to the previous five-year period, bringing the country down to 10th place in the list of the world's largest arms importers.

The report said the rapid decline in China's overall arms imports was due to Beijing's growing "indigenous capability to design and produce heavy weapons" and was likely to "decline further as it accelerates the development of this capability".

Hua Yu (Source: SCMP)

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