China donates small arms to Manila
The Philippines has received a cargo of small arms and associated ammunition from China, representing a dramatic turnaround in relations between the two countries.
This materiel, worth an estimated $7.3 million, was received at Clark Air Base on 28 June and will be used by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
A total of 3,000 assault rifles with five million rounds of ammunition, plus 90 sniper rifles with 800,000 rounds, were airlifted by a People’s Liberation Army Air Force Il-76 aircraft.
Three types of Norinco weapons were turned over to the AFP: Type 85 7.62mm sniper rifles (a copy of the Dragunov
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