China’s role in the gunpowder supply chain is spurring concerns in Washington and Brussels.
The Buk-M2 Russian missile system. Credit: Viacheslav Lopatin via iStock
Legend has it that Chinese monks invented gunpowder in the 9th century CE — but China’s impact on the global gunpowder market is far from ancient history.
In fact, the Russia-Ukraine war has shone a light on China’s integral role in the supply chain for nitrocellulose, a key component of modern gunpowder. China’s exports of the chemical have increased by 35 percent since 2012, according to data from the International Trade Centre, making it now the world’s second largest nitro
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If Xi Jinping is becoming more preoccupied with internal politics, it could lead to a period of relative calm in China’s relations with the United States.
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