Innovation key to military prowess
- Source: Global Times
- [01:57 June 18 2010]
- Comments
For a long time, the growth of China's military industry adopted a low profile. The outside world had few opportunities to know of China's military capability except occasions such as the military parade on National Day.
This week for the first time, China's defense companies showcased their latest equipment, from handcuffs to rockets, at the Eurosatory in France, which is Europe's largest warfare goods exhibition. Among some 1,300 exhibitors are the world's top defense contractors from countries such as France and Germany.
Like other trade fairs, attending Eurosatory is a good way for Chinese companies to promote themselves and exchange experiences. But the display of Chinese military equipment is projected in an unfair way by sections of Western media, which imply that Chinese companies may copy latest technology from competitors.
Conforming to the overall image of Made-in-China, China's military equipment has concentrated on cheap, low-end equipment. Like its manufacturing sector, Chinese military industry, too, is trying to upgrade, and here innovation is the key.
China's military industry began with imitating former Soviet Union's arms, but it is now aware that key technology cannot be acquired by imitating.
Purchasing from other countries is also not feasible as China is still blocked out under an arms sale embargo imposed by Europe and the US. Even China's request for purchasing a few helicopters for disaster relief from the US was declined in 2008.
Core military technology can only come through innovation, and it best illustrates a country's innovative ability. When armored vehicles carrying locally made missiles passed through the Tiananmen Square and fighter jets roared overhead during the military parade, it attracted the world's attention because of the key technology they carried.
In fact, China's core military technology does not match its economic clout. Despite various "China threat" theories, China has much to do toward acquiring military key technology through innovation at home.
Modern war is based on a combination of technology, information and communication. Home supply of key technology should be the goal of real military modernization.
The international market is not the main target of China's military industry. But the fact that China's military export is only a tiny part of the US shows the gap in variety and performance of Chinese weaponry vis-à-vis other exporting countries. China also lags far behind in developing its own weaponry system, which can be updated on a continuous basis without much difficulty.
The Chinese government is taking necessary steps to foster innovation, and there are perceptible advances in its weaponry system. However, these are far from competitive by any international yardstick, and the distance to be traversed is far more than the distance covered thus far.
