A PLA marine fires an HJ-8 anti-tank missile. Internet photo.
With the help of Pakistan, China North Industries Corporation, better known as Norinco, has been able to export its HJ-8 anti-tank missiles to 20 countries around the world, Duowei News, a news outlet operated by overseas Chinese, reported on Oct. 21.
Pakistan produces the HJ-8 under license from China, which helped the South Asian country build an independent production line to manufacture the anti-tank missile.
In the late 1980s, China convinced the Pakistan Army, which had been using the American-built BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile, to purchase the Chinese-made HJ-8.
Pakistan carried out tests pitting the HJ-8 against the TOW system to see which missile was more suited to its ground force. The HJ-8 came out on top by destroying all five targets with five launches, while the TOW only destroyed three, according to the Duowei report.
Nearly 10,000 HJ-8 missiles have since exported to around 20 countries. These include Bangladesh, Bolivia, Egypt, Ecuador, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, Peru, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
As Islamabad opens up new overseas markets for China, it also builds trust with Beijing to gain access to the further arms technology in the future, creating a win-win situation for both nations, Duowei said.
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