China: new rules on supervision of military arms purchase contracts

China signed new rules on the supervision of military equipment purchase contracts on Saturday, the official Xinhua news agency said, part of long-term efforts by the country to modernise its military. The announcement came one day after President Xi Jinping had a video call with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden during which they discussed the Ukraine war. The rules aim to improve efficiency in the supervision of military equipment purchase contracts and make sure good quality equipment is delivered to the army, Xinhua said, without giving specific details. The rules will come into effect on Mar. 20. President Xi Jinping, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission overseeing the armed forces, has continually pushed for new rules and regulations to assess, procure and test weaponry and equipment. China routinely carries out miliary exercises in the South China Sea, a large part of which it claims. It also sometimes deploys military aircraft into the air defence zone of self-governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.