Thailand may become a major market for Chinese weapons

After the FD-2000, the export version of Chinese HQ-9 surface-to-air missile, beat the competition — the US Patriot and Russian S-300 air defense systems, Thailand may become the next overseas market for missile systems and other weaponry from China, reports US-based Duowei News.

During the Defense & Security 2013 exhibition which took place at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center of Bangkok from Nov. 4 until Thursday, the FD-2000 was presented to the Royal Thai Armed Forces along with other advanced weapon systems such as the FL-3000N short-range Close-in Weapon System and the FK-1000 Short To Medium Range Air Defense System designed by China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation based in Beijing.

A source from China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation told Duowei News that Thailand is not only interested in purchasing the FD-2000 from China, but will also purchase the FL-3000N for its navy, which is the export version of China's HQ-10 air defense system, a licensed copy of the Russian S-300PMU-1 air defense missile designed to detect, track, and destroy incoming ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and low-flying aircraft.

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