The PLA at Home and Abroad - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army

Armament Department’s (GAD’s) Bureau of Military
Equipment and Technology Cooperation (BOMETEC);
however, in recent reports, these companies are only
mentioned in relation to the sale of small arms and
munitions. One case that received a great deal of media
attention occurred in mid-2008, when Poly Technologies
attempted to deliver 77 tons of AK-47 ammunition,
rocket-propelled grenades, and mortar rounds
worth $1.245 million to the war torn government in
landlocked Zimbabwe. South Africa and other ports
turned the ship carrying the munitions away, and the
ship finally had to return to China with the arms still
onboard. 105 With the exception of this case, however,
there do not appear to be any specific references in the
available literature to direct PLA involvement in the
sale of major weapons platforms or in any cooperative
weapon system research and development programs.
Although the PLA does not seem to be involved in
the sale of major weapons systems, it does appear to
be involved in training recipients of Chinese weapons
systems. In some cases, such as the 2002 contract with
Bangladesh, China has signed a contract to sell arms
and to have the PLA train the receiving military to
use them. 106 According to reports in November 2009,
the aviation industry conglomerates’ China National
Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation
(CATIC) was in discussions at the Dubai Air Show
with about six countries from Africa, the Middle East,
and South America that are interested in purchasing
the L-15 trainer and JF-17 fighter, but no mention was
made of PLA involvement. 107 If the sales occur, however,
it is possible that the PLAAF will be involved in
training the receiving air force’s pilots.
It is also possible that China is taking advantage
of visits by senior PLA officials to help promote the
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