Beijing plans to increase tear gas production

Output could grow by 7.4 per cent over the next six years due to growing social tensions in the country, as well as sales to foreign governments. Made-in-China tear gas has been used in Thailand, Arab countries, Sudan, and Venezuela, but not in Hong Kong.

Beijing (AsiaNews) – Chinese companies making tear gas and crowd control tools have boosted output because of greater demand at home and abroad in the wake of greater social unrest in China and sales to foreign governments, manufacturers and market analysts have reported.

China started producing its own tear gas in the 1990s. Oddly, some army generals said at the time that the Tiananmen massacre occurred because they had no tear gas, only lethal weapons.

Now both soldiers and police have tear gas and other tools. Over the years, these "non-lethal" weapons have been used against peasants, villagers, and workers on strike or opposed to expropriations.

According to some sources, made-in-China tear gas has been used against political protests in Thailand, during the Arab spring, and in anti-government rallies in Sudan and Venezuela.

In recent months, Hong Kong police have made large-scale use of tear gas, but not Chinese made.

Chinese makers of law enforcement weapons could see markets growing by 7.4 per cent between this year and 2025, generating more than US$ 800 million worth of business.

The whole industry could be worth more than US$ 9.7 billion by 2022, according to a report by the Allied Market Research.

China is in fact projected to be one of the fastest growing markets “due to strong economic growth, increased military expenditure, rapid industrial development, and growing civil unrest situations”.

• china
• hong kong
• tear gas
• crowd control
• production
• riots
• anti-extradition bill
• wukan
• expropriations