China is the world’s fifth largest arms exporter, according to a report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a Swedish-based think-tank, on March 17. This marks the first time since the Cold War era that China has ranked within the top five.

According to the report, from the period of 2003-2007, China’s share of the global arms exports rose from 2 percent to 5 percent, climbing in rank from No. 8 to No. 5. Meanwhile, in the period from 2008-2012, China’s arms exports increased 162 percent, with approximately 55 percent going to Pakistan. For sake of comparison, the top four arms exporting countries currently are the United States, Russia, Germany and France.

In a related note, China remains the second largest arms importer worldwide (India is currently the largest, with 12% of the global arms imports).

See also: Chinese Tourists Rank Fifth for Money Spent on Hotel Accommodations Abroad

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