Chinese donations to South America see economics trump politics

9th September 2021 - 12:30 GMT | by Flavia Camargos Pereira in Kansas City

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Tactical radios are just some of the types of equipment China has donated in recent years to South American militaries. (Photo: Uruguay MoD)

China donates military equipment to South American countries in order to access new markets. Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Uruguay and Peru were the main recipients of small arms, optronics, communication systems, field hospitals, vehicles and speedboats.

In order to access new markets for its defence systems, China has been donating military equipment to South American countries. Since the 2000s, armies in the region have received smalls weapons, optronics, communication systems, field hospitals, vehicles and speedboats.

In June this year, for instance, the Ecuadorian MoD released pictures of troops using Chinese AK-47 rifles during a ceremony in the army’s Special Forces Group No. 26 ‘Cenepa’, in Quevedo, Los Rios Province.

Apart from Ecuador, China also donated defence systems and materials to Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and Peru.

Beatriz Rauber, an expert in Chinese/Latin American relations and researcher at …