"In light of the recent tensions in US-Pakistani relations, it should come as no surprise that Islamabad is increasing its imports from Beijing," Daniel Katz, a former analyst with the US Department of Defense, said in a debate on the changing global arms market in the March/April edition of Foreign Affairs magazine.

"After decades of steep increases in military spending and cash injections into domestic defense contractors, experts say some Chinese-made equipment is now comparable to Russian or Western counterparts," Reuters reported.

However, Su Hao, a professor of security affairs at China Foreign Affairs University, said China's bigger market share is the result of growing technology and productivity in its arms industry and "reasonable price".

"In higher-end markets, we lag far behind mature exporters such as the US."

The US and Russia kept the largest share of the world's arms sales in the 2008-12 period, with the US taking 30 percent and Russia 26 percent, the report said. Germany ranked third with 7 percent and France fourth with 6 percent.

The volume of international transfers of major conventional weapons was 17 percent higher in the 2008-12 period than 2003-07. As for arms buyers, the institute said Asia is the most prosperous market in the world. The top five importers of major conventional weapons are all Asian countries — India, China, Pakistan, South Korea and Singapore.

Contact the writers at lixiaokun@chinadaily.com.cn and puzhendong@chinadaily.com.cn