By JAMES BICKERTON
The revelation was made by the South China Morning Post, based on information from within the UK’s Department for International Trade.
According to the leak, a UK company, which hasn’t been identified, has been granted an Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL), allowing it to trade in restricted goods.
OIELs usually last between five and two years, although the figure in this case is unknown.
The paper reported that the licence covers “target acquisition, weapon control and countermeasures” for military planes, helicopters and drones.
The supplier is also expected to export software and technology for military radar systems.
The licence has been condemned by anti-arms trade activists.
Andrew Smith, CEO of the UK based Campaign Against Arms Trade, claimed: “It’s potentially a big license and it does say the end user is the Chinese Air Force.”
Over the past few years the UK has continued to lead China on radar development.
“If they are willing to sell we are willing to buy"
Chinese military spending has increased dramatically over the past few years.
According to Cao Yunhe, a Chinese radar specialist who lectures at Xidan University, China is hoping to benefit from UK expertise.
He said: “If they are willing to sell we are willing to buy.
“We want to know how their systems operate. It will help us improve our own design.”
Last month Hugh Griffiths, a leading British radar expert, was rewarded for his work helping Chinese radar development.
He was presented with “Outstanding Award for Chinese radar International Development” in Nanjing, capital of an eastern Chinese province.
Theresa May with Xi Jinping in Beijing in January of this year.
News of the UK’s potential exportation of military equipment comes amid an ongoing trade dispute between the US and China.
China and the US are currently engaged in a trade war after President Donald Trump accused the nation of unfair competition and intellectual property theft.
Trump has accused the world’s second biggest economy of committing “longtime abuse of the broken international system and unfair practices”.
In June, the US placed a 25 percent tariff on $50billion (£38.6billion) worth of Chinese goods, with China retaliating with counter-tariffs on US products.
The situation escalated further when Trump ordered tariffs on another $200billion (£154billion) of Chinese goods, leading to a tariff increase on $60billion (£46billion) of American products in response.
According to Cao Yunhe, a Chinese radar specialist who lectures at Xidan University, China is hoping to benefit from UK expertise.
He said: “If they are willing to sell we are willing to buy.
“We want to know how their systems operate. It will help us improve our own design.”
Last month Hugh Griffiths, a leading British radar expert, was rewarded for his work helping Chinese radar development.
He was presented with “Outstanding Award for Chinese radar International Development” in Nanjing, capital of an eastern Chinese province.
Theresa May with Xi Jinping in Beijing in January of this year.
News of the UK’s potential exportation of military equipment comes amid an ongoing trade dispute between the US and China.
China and the US are currently engaged in a trade war after President Donald Trump accused the nation of unfair competition and intellectual property theft.
Trump has accused the world’s second biggest economy of committing “longtime abuse of the broken international system and unfair practices”.
In June, the US placed a 25 percent tariff on $50billion (£38.6billion) worth of Chinese goods, with China retaliating with counter-tariffs on US products.
The situation escalated further when Trump ordered tariffs on another $200billion (£154billion) of Chinese goods, leading to a tariff increase on $60billion (£46billion) of American products in response.
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