China is showcasing the latest developments in defense technology at a major defense services event in Kuala Lumpur. Last year, governments around the world spent around $1.7 trillion on military products. Military expenditures in Asia went up by almost 5%. That's helped make Defense Services Asia an increasingly important event in the global defense industry.
Defense Services Asia started off with a bang,a simulation of Malaysian commandos tackling a hostage-taking incident.
On top of 1200 exhibitors from 60 countries displaying their eye-catching wares, the event has drawn military and police chiefs, defense ministers and their representatives from across the world.
That includes China, which sent a delegation of senior military and civilian officials. The country has a large pavilion showcasing several state-owned firms and their advanced radar and communication systems, flightless aircraft, and array of other hardware.
"As a integrated defense company, we have brought unmanned arial vehicles, and anti-mine vehicles -- 6x6 and 8x8 – to display, and also coastal surveillance systems. Aside from promoting our equipment in the show, we also hope to use the occasion to strengthen exchanges with our foreign counterparts for the development of civilian markets," Wang Xingye, vice president of Poly Technologies, said.
With some two dozen companies and agencies, Turkey is the largest contingent at DSA. Turkey says its experience in fighting long-running insurgencies and terrorism has helped propel the development of its security technology.
"Malaysia and Southeast Asian nations are an extremely important market for us, and -- just like for the Asia Pacific region as a whole -- critically important for us in strategic terms as well. That's why we have such a strong representation here," Suay Alpay, deputy minister of Turkish Ministry of Defense, said.
Aside from the exhibition, this event also includes a round-table discussion for army chiefs, as well as conferences on combating chemical and biological explosives, and humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
"From the perspective of relationships, it's very important during DSA because we are also exploring defense diplomacy, so we are arranging government to government meetings where they can exchange about different defense and diplomacy business," Junidah Kamarruddin, deputy secretary-general of Malaysian Ministry of Defense, said.
The results of those closed door meetings may never be known. But on the business side, a number of memorandums of understanding and deals will be signed this week.
