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Pentagon warns Middle East turning to China for drone needs

The Pentagon’s in-house intelligence agency says that China is cornering the market on armed drone sales to the Middle East as the United States is stifled by export rules.
An unmanned aerial vehicle is presented during the military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2015.  REUTERS/Rolex Dela Pena/Pool - GF10000191272
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China has gained an advantage in the market for armed drone sales to the Middle East as more stringent export restrictions have held back US sales, a Pentagon intelligence report revealed this week.

The Defense Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon’s in-house analysis unit, said that China’s total arms sales around the world totaled $20 billion between 2012 and 2016, as Beijing seeks to build bridges with countries in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region in its quest for new markets and natural resources.

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