Pakistan, Russia, Houthis and Africa’s Militias: Why Chinese weapons are turning up in every major war zone

A woman poses for pictures next to the HQ-9B surface-to-air missile system (L) and the HQ-19 surface-to-air missile system during the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, in southern China's Guangdong province on November 15, 2024. (Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)

China has emerged as the primary profiteer of global conflicts, quietly fuelling wars through a booming arms trade. From Pakistan and Russia to militias in West Asia and Africa, Chinese weapons are turning up in nearly every major conflict zone. While Beijing claims neutrality, data reveals a stark reality: China is arming regimes and non-state actors that challenge its rivals, making war a business, and a strategy.

According to the latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China is now the fourth-largest arms exporter globally, after the United States, Russia, and France, but its weapons are disproportionately turning up in the hands of those at odds with democratic powers.

Pakistan: The primary buyer

Nowhere is China’s strategic arms partnership more apparent than in its ties with Pakistan. According to SIPRI, 63 per cent of China’s total arms exports between 2019 and 2023 went to Pakistan, making Islamabad by far the largest recipient of Chinese weapons.

These include fighter aircraft like the JF-17 Thunder, co-developed by China and Pakistan; air defence systems, including the HQ-16; and armed drones, missiles, and radar systems.

These systems have not just been for deterrence. They were actively used during the India-Pakistan standoff in May, which makes it evident that China is not only arming India’s biggest adversary but also helping it escalate hostilities.

Russia: Keeping the Ukraine war alive

Though China claims neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine war, its role in sustaining Moscow’s military machine is undeniable.

As per SIPRI and corroborating data from other global research outlets, China has provided military drones used by Russian forces; dual-use goods such as electronics, machine tools, and chemicals, which help Russia build weapons domestically; and critical components like optical sights, navigation systems, and aircraft parts.

According to the Takshashila Institution, Russia imports around 90 per cent of high-priority defence goods from China, and nearly all critical machine tools come from Chinese suppliers. While these may not be classified as weapons in customs declarations, they are indispensable to Russia’s war effort.

West Asia: Arming the proxies

China’s weaponry has quietly filtered into the hands of Iran-backed proxies across the Middle East, most notably the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

In 2023, US intelligence sources told i24 News that the Houthis acquired Chinese weapons, including drone components and ship-attack missiles, in exchange for letting Chinese ships pass undisturbed through the Red Sea. These weapons have since been used in strikes against commercial and Israeli-linked vessels.

In the Israel-Hamas conflict, several reports have indicated the presence of Chinese-made weapons among militant groups, though SIPRI refrains from identifying specific shipments to non-state actors. Nonetheless, the trend is clear: China’s arms are increasingly part of the anti-Israel arsenal in West Asia.

Africa: China's arms surge in fragile states

SIPRI’s 2024 report notes that China has overtaken Russia as the largest arms supplier to Sub-Saharan Africa, with its exports making up 22 per cent of all imports to the region between 2019–2023.

In conflict zones across the continent:

Sudan: Chinese arms have been used by both government forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during the ongoing civil war.

South Sudan: Warring factions, including rebel groups, have used Chinese rifles, vehicles, and ammunition.

Nigeria: A major Chinese defence firm has even set up a local ammunition production factory.

Ethiopia, DR Congo, Mali, Burkina Faso, and others: All have received Chinese weaponry, often used in internal conflicts and insurgencies.

In West Africa, SIPRI data shows that 1 in 4 military systems in use is now of Chinese origin, underlining the country’s growing footprint in regions rife with instability.