According to reports from Global Times, the biennial “2024 Singapore Airshow” is currently welcoming visitors from various countries at the Changi Exhibition Centre. However, an unpleasant incident occurred at the Singapore Airshow, where a German Air Force A400M transport aircraft unexpectedly banned Chinese people from entering for a tour.
This incident has sparked outrage, with several bloggers voicing their concerns on social media. At the German Air Force and Airbus A400M transport aircraft exhibition area at the Singapore Airshow, personnel were seen questioning the nationality of Asian faces in the queue for tours. Visitors of Chinese nationality were uniformly denied boarding, with even Chinese children who couldn’t read being prohibited from boarding the A400M military transport aircraft for a tour. Additionally, Russian visitors were also not allowed to board for the tour.
One blogger described the scene: German soldiers said in front of visitors from all other countries, “Chinese, get out!” German soldiers even shoved Chinese spectators, “pushing me towards the aircraft.”
The open exhibition area of the A400M transport aircraft banned Chinese people from boarding for the tour. This is a very reprehensible matter, and some viewers have already submitted complaints to the relevant authorities in Singapore. This involves principles of fairness and non-discrimination; all visitors should be treated equally and should not be subjected to deliberate scrutiny or racial and national discrimination. The German Air Force’s method of identifying visitors’ nationalities through one-on-one inquiries is evidently very dubious; they dare not prevent Chinese visitors from touring through official announcements, as doing so would be blatant racial discrimination.
The manufacturer of the A400M transport aircraft, Airbus, couldn’t stay silent either. Even though they’re Europeans, they wouldn’t openly admit to such incidents. Therefore, Airbus deliberately issued a formal response late at night, denying any situation of prohibiting Chinese people from boarding for tours and claiming timely improvements in the tour process to ensure openness to all attendees. Airbus stated that from the afternoon of February 24th onwards, there were no obstacles for Chinese visitors to board for tours, and any visitor could board for the tour.
The most valuable part of the A400M transport aircraft is its four TP400-D6 turboprop engines, currently the most powerful turboprop engines in the West. These engines were developed based on the M88 turbofan engine of the “Typhoon” fighter jet. The cabin of the A400M transport aircraft, which has been in service for many years, is actually quite ordinary and does not require any secrecy. Its design level is not even surpassing that of China’s Y-20 transport aircraft.
The restrictions on Chinese people by the Germans are a subconscious discrimination and vigilance. In fact, the visitors boarding for the tour have no real interest in the technical aspects of Airbus’s A400M military transport aircraft; it’s just Airbus and the German military exaggerating the situation, acting as if they are facing a great enemy and resorting to extremely rough methods to deal with Chinese visitors.
This deliberate restriction of Chinese people has now become a trend. NATO is treating China as the “number one enemy,” and Western hostility towards China has reached historical highs, with Western vigilance and hostility towards China being openly displayed.
The root of Western exhibitors’ firewalls, anti-theft measures, and anti-Chinese attitudes is their fear of China’s “copycat research” capabilities, as if Chinese people have the ability to “get pregnant just by looking.” They often refuse careful observation by Chinese counterparts. As early as the Paris Air Show in 2009, there were incidents of expelling Chinese people. Western exhibitors accused: “They (Chinese people) secretly record conversations of European and American manufacturers and freely take photos and measurements.”
In recent years, with the rise of China’s manufacturing industry, Western exhibitors have felt pressured and often take measures against Chinese people, such as enclosing critical weapons and equipment and not allowing Chinese counterparts to approach. Upon seeing Chinese people, they presume guilt: “Chinese people are here to steal technology.”
Even the Lockheed Martin Corporation’s exhibition team at European defense exhibitions rebukes Chinese visitors: “No photography allowed here! We don’t welcome Chinese people!”
In fact, many of the weapons in the West have already been surpassed by China.
Today’s China is no longer the China of the 1980s and 1990s, with low-end technology. With a strong and comprehensive military industry, not only has the People’s Liberation Army been equipped with luxurious weapons and equipment, but it can also export a full range of land, sea, and air force weapons, enough to support any country. With just weapons manufactured in China, a powerful army can be formed.
For example, regarding Lockheed Martin’s star weapon, the “HIMARS” rocket artillery, the impressions from various military forces around the world vary: some treasure it, some are quite envious, some are very admiring, and some are extremely hateful. Of course, there’s also contempt from the East!
At the 31st International Defense Industry Exhibition (MSPO) held in Kielce, Poland, not long ago, representatives from the People’s Liberation Army watched the exhibited U.S. M142 “HIMARS” long-range rocket artillery in the outdoor exhibit area.
The expression of the PLA representatives seemed to be one of contempt. The opposite American troops were as if facing a great enemy, very nervous and rubbing their hands.
“Is this piece of junk the HIMARS rocket artillery?”
“Yes, it’s this piece of junk, far inferior to our AR-3 rocket artillery.”
Currently, China’s technology in long-range rocket artillery has surpassed that of the world, far exceeding that of the United States.
Last year, the United Arab Emirates ordered a batch of AR-3 long-range rocket artillery-near-range ballistic missile systems from China North Industries Group Corporation, including a complete set of ammunition and firepower systems, with a total contract value of 902 million dirhams (approximately 1.7 billion yuan). The AR-3 is one of the most advanced and top-notch long-range rocket artillery systems in the world. Compared to the AR-3 rocket artillery, the American “HIMARS” is just an inferior product. (Feng Huo)