According to a report by the South Korean media Chosun Ilbo on April 30th, Beijing has failed in three attempts at arms exports since last year, even with the intervention of its leader Xi Jinping.
The report stated that China originally planned to export the “S26T” (also known as the 039 “Yuan-class”) diesel submarine worth $300 million to Thailand. However, the contract was canceled in October last year because Beijing’s attempt to import German-made engines was blocked by the EU’s embargo on China. Subsequently, Beijing proposed to install domestically-made diesel engines of the same class, but Thailand rejected the proposal.
After Argentina began to introduce light fighter jets into its military, Xi Jinping proposed to then-President Alberto A. Fernández a delivery of 34 Chinese JF-17 fighters, offering low prices and financial support. After Javier Gerardo Milei was elected president of Argentina in November last year, however, Argentina decided instead to purchase 24 second-hand F-16 fighter jets from Denmark for $300 million.
In addition, in a competition for short-range ballistic missile orders in the Middle East earlier this year, the “Fire Dragon 300” rocket artillery produced by China North Industries Corporation (a.k.a. Norinco) was defeated by the Korean Tactical Surface-to-Surface Missile System (KTSSM).
Source: Epoch Times, April 30, 2024
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/4/29/n14237064.htm