The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has revealed a 24% increase in spending on Chinese-manufactured goods over the past five years, highlighting a growing reliance on Chinese products within the UK’s defence supply chain.
The total expenditure from 2019-2024 amounts to £17.5 million. The MOD’s direct spend on Chinese-manufactured items was detailed as follows:
- 2023-24: £4.6 million
- 2022-23: £3.6 million
- 2021-22: £3 million
- 2020-21: £2.6 million
- 2019-20: £3.7 million
The figures represent spending rounded to the nearest £100,000.
Maria Eagle, Minister of State for Defence, highlighted that while the MOD welcomes foreign trade, it ensures purchases meet strict regulatory requirements.
“The Ministry of Defence welcomes foreign trade where it allows us to provide our Armed Forces with the equipment they require, meets our stringent legal and regulatory requirements, and does not compromise our national security,” Eagle stated.
She was clear that all transactions undergo scrutiny for potential national security concerns, with mitigations applied where necessary.
The increasing expenditure on Chinese goods comes amid heightened global awareness of the risks posed by supply chain dependencies on potential strategic competitors. Analysts suggest that the trend reflects a lack of alternative suppliers for certain critical items, exacerbated by global manufacturing shifts towards Asia.
Eagle underscored the MOD’s vigilance in addressing such risks.
“Transactions continue to be monitored where there are potential national security concerns from any country, and the Department will investigate and apply appropriate mitigations where required,” she stated.
The reliance on Chinese goods within defence supply chains has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, as nations reassess the security implications of such dependencies. The MOD’s disclosure reflects a balance between operational needs and the need to address national security concerns.
We previously reported that a recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request published on the Government website revealed that UK government departments have procured uniforms, protective gear, and other essential items from Chinese suppliers.
The FOI response details a range of clothing and equipment purchases from Chinese firms for several government departments, including the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Home Office.
The items sourced include uniforms, outerwear, and protective equipment used by personnel in various capacities across government services. The purchases reflect a broader trend of sourcing affordable and durable materials that meet the specifications required for government-issue attire and accessories.
The uniforms obtained from Chinese suppliers cover standard operational wear, including shirts, trousers, jackets, and outerwear designed for challenging conditions. Alongside these uniforms, other practical items like high-visibility jackets and fire-resistant clothing are part of the procurement list. Accessories such as hats, gloves, and belts, essential for full uniform kits, have also been sourced from China, demonstrating the extensive range of items involved.
An MoD spokesperson said previously:
“As part of an international supply chain, around 16,000 different items of military clothing are sourced for our Armed Forces. Our contractor must abide by strict procurement regulations to ensure that any risks around modern slavery are identified and addressed during the tender process and the subsequent contract.”
When talking to a source, I was also told that all purchases adhere strictly to procurement policies and are evaluated to ensure they meet the standards required for durability and safety, there’s no question on the quality. However, with China as one of the primary suppliers, questions can be asked about the implications of sourcing critical goods from a nation with which the UK has a complex and sometimes tense trade relationship.
Perhaps Chinese goods do represent VFM but vetting purchases for national security concerns misses the obvious – we should not be feeding a monstor who actively undermines our security and who has broken the Hong Kong protocols and operates ‘police’ stations in the UK.
I’ve been saying this for years. Sadly most in the west are totally ignorant of the damage their urge to save a few $/£ is doing. Just look at the wave of buyers flocking to Chinese websites to buy cheap tat for peanuts, it just escalates upwards from there right up into government levels.
Then there’s the resulting compete decimation of our home grown industry that’s a whole disaster in its own right.
Is a sorry state of affairs and future people will shake their heads in wonder at just how the naive west voluntarily and happily funded its own demise.
I argued this going back to the 90s but again even I am shocked at just how far this process has gone and how much further it will no doubt go. Lemmings comes to mind. It hits near Carry On levels now mind at the thought that in any war our brave lads get about 5 metres before their trousers fall down.
I’m sure £4 Million a year is making all the difference to the Chinese economy 😀
I do like some of your posts but any succour to an enemy is incorrect; give your head a wobble.
You forgot…
• has occupied Tibet
• has recently annexed parts of Nepal
• has recently annexed parts of Bhutan
• is attempting to annex the entire South China Sea against maritime law
• is committing genocide against the Uyghurs
• threatens Taiwan with invasion
Time for the government to start reshoring/onshoring the manufacturing of these items.
Or buying from countries loyal to us and with common interests.
Of course, using it as a form of foreign aid (coercion) e.g. sourcing uniforms from Sri Lanka 😉
It’s crazy how the west keeps throwing money at the biggest risk to world security. Capitalist greed and the urge to get more for less might actually be the fuel that compromises the very capitalist system. And, wash my mouth out for even saying this as I feel dirty, Trump seems to be the only person in power that sees this!
Even if you actively tried to eliminate this you couldn’t as there is so much rebadged stuff around.
I’m not worried about trivial amounts of clothing but anything electronic – which has been dealt with.
US uniforms are made in America, Blair is at fault for closing down Remploy . A safe workspace for disabled people to work who perhaps can’t cope with mainstream employment.They used to make the uniforms.
Agreed never understood that, now they coerce them by threatening their benefits while for many they have little chance of achieving effective employment.
Both New Labour and the coalition shut down the factories.
Maybe we should use prison labour to make things like uniforms which private companies aren’t interested in.
So, £4.6 million spent in China from a total defence budget of £53.9 billion… that’s really a major blow to the British and allied defence industries! Chinese imports to the UK in the same time period? About £55.7 billion! Really I think that figure is the more important of the two – Every man, woman and child in the UK supporting Chinese industry to the tune of £1,000 a year!
I think that’s closer to the actual issue. Although it’d be great for all of these purchases to at least be moved to a friendly country, away from China but, it isn’t an enormous amount in the grand scheme of things. Quick replenishment in a time of war or something along those lines would be my issue with manufacture in China, especially if China was a belligerent in the conflict.
Weening the general population away from Chinese goods would have a far bigger impact on the Chinese economy. It’s just difficult to do it, and more expensive for the most part. At times where people are struggling financially, they aren’t going to care about where the item comes form. Just what it costs.
There is often little choice but to buy Chinese. Try buying a British made lawnmower, kettle or steam iron. Trump is promising big tariffs on Chinese goods. We should do the same at least until we recoup the costs of dealing with their virus.
Or we could just surcharge Argos!
Thus increasing inflation and the cost of living for everyone. Not that Trump and his corrupt cronies will be remotely affected…
VFM really have they actually seen the really poor quality of the uniforms they supply for example. ALL MOD spend should be in the UK or close Allies only. The RM went shopping and got their gear from the US because it actually did meet what they needed rather than the crap coming through normal stores. And British Pounds spent in the UK generate money and the Crown gets a wedge of that back which you will never get from China.
China is waging and economic war against the rest of the World, and thet are winning because of the greed and stupitity of the rest of the World.
Wake up and get our resouces from our suppliers here at home. Should be UK Gov Policy to support the UK in all things.
As Tesco would say “ every little helps”. Sure the CCP say the same
That’s a hell of a lot of sweet and sour….
I suspect these are mostly mundane items that could be easily sourced from any number of places if necessary. I am much more troubled by some of the dependencies that are being tolerated in the civilian sector, but the situation won’t improve unless HMG stops the ‘cakeism’ attitude towards China (either it’s an adversary or it isn’t).
It\s not as though we don’t have sweat shops in Blighty.
Small change
The only vote we have with the CCP dictatorship is not to buy their supposedly cheap products which in reality is an exchange of sovereign capabilities and so a loss of freedom.
A very bad bargain and something not priced into the deal at all, which allows the globalist to trade away our freedom without any accounting of that.
They have totally lost their marbles haven’t they? The Chinese blocking export of stuff already.becauss of supplying their friend in Moscow. Getting depending the Chinese for our defence when the enemies we face are china, Russia, Iraq, all friends is about the most stupid thing I have ever heard in my life. Those millions we are spending are going straight into the military we will face and are destroying the industry we will rely on(although stupid government policies elsewhere are destroying the tiny dump of our industry we have left…. Who the hell is going to build our drones, tanks, guns, shells, bullets when we have zero factories left). Our civil service are making these decisions and are allowing the country to be flooded with people that hate us….. Time we rounded these people up and shipped them to their paymasters in Russia and xhina
It’s beggars belief that we are on this course, labour and tory useless governments, save money ,cheapo cheapo,who got the free holiday or nice financial bung ,bloody disgusting 🫣
An absolute joke, and a farcical sate of affairs that should only serve to bring into sharp focus that its not only generic manufacturing that is being lost to the Chinese.
They must be laughing all the way to the bank at the short sightedness of our economic policies.
There were certain Tories that at least stood up to the stupidity- but they were shouted down by Cameron & Osbourne et al with their ill thought out/ill gotten Chinese love in.
Unfortunately I think Starmer will be just as bad – if not worse.