China-made drones attract international buyers at expo

China-made drones have become hot products for international buyers due to their diverse application scenarios at the 9th Drone World Congress that closed in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Sunday.

The three-day event attracted 825 exhibitors from around the world with over 5,000 drone products displayed, including unmanned helicopters, unmanned multi-rotor drones and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and over 130,000 professional visitors and saw deals worth 20 billion yuan (about 2.78 billion U.S. dollars) signed.

"I am astonished by the number of exhibitors and by the number of attendees and visitors. So I like this event very much and I would be glad to come here next year," said Libor, a buyer from the Czech Republic.

International buyers from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America wandered around the exhibition halls, selecting their favorite products from drones to drone-related parts. Many came to the conference with clear demands.

"I flew from India to attend this expo to meet like different companies and the suppliers. We are buying the motors, motor winding machines, different products, antennas, jammers around 1 million dollars. The event is amazing. So it's like you can find every type of technology in like under one roof," said Archit, an Indian buyer.

"On average, we have at least 700 to 800 customers a day, from South Korea and Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. They are all interested in our aircraft, flight control products, accessories, and optical fibers," said Liu Xiaopeng, an exhibitor.

Shenzhen is home to more than 2,000 drone-related firms, with an annual output value of over 100 billion yuan (13.8 billion U.S. dollars), according to statistics. Shenzhen-based tech giant Tencent is also venturing into drone technologies.

"Tencent right now at the moment is world-known for its quality and Shenzhen itself is considered a hub of innovation and collaboration. I think China is very open to collaboration. It will bring a lot of value to merge your technology or knowhow and experience with international partners," said Clario Dinis Ferreira Wright, president of the Portuguese Drone Association.

China's consumer drones account for 74 percent of the global market, and its industrial drones make up 55 percent of the global market with more than 200 application scenarios, according to the Shenzhen UAV Industry Association.

As 5G communication and artificial intelligence evolve, China's industrial drones have expanded their application scenarios in cultural tourism, emergency response, transportation, urban management and other fields, prompting many companies to launch new products and new solutions to meet new market demands.

China-made drones attract international buyers at expo

Japanese people gathered in Tokyo on Friday to protest against the government's recent decision to revise the "three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology" which now allows the export of lethal weapons.

On Tuesday, the Japanese government, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, officially revised the "three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology" and their implementation guidelines.

The revisions scrap the restrictions that had limited arms exports to five non-combat categories, allow, in principle, the export of lethal weapons, permit transfers to nations engaged in active conflict under specified circumstances, and sideline parliament from the decision-making process -- crossing a line that previous governments had at least nominally upheld.

Protesters assembled in Shinjuku district on Friday evening, voicing strong opposition to the dangerous shift away from Japan's postwar pacifist principles and expressing deep concerns over Japan's failure to fully reflect on its wartime past.

"It's unforgivable. Revising the 'three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology' through a simple Cabinet decision is absolutely unacceptable," said a protester.

"We should have properly reflected on the war that happened over 80 years ago, but we haven't. Is it acceptable if people are killed by the weapons, missiles, or bombs we export? Absolutely not. Such a thing must never be allowed to happen. That is why I strongly oppose this policy," said another protester.

Also on Friday, over a thousand protesters gathered in front of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) headquarters, holding placards and chanting slogans demanding the resignation of Takaichi.

They expressed growing frustration with the current administration and condemned the export of lethal weapons.

"This has gone too far. Japan is becoming an outrageous country. From exporting weapons to revising the Constitution, everything is shifting. The LDP has long had this tendency, and under the Takaichi administration, the situation has become even worse. If we don't stop this now, Japan will turn into a truly frightening nation," said a protester.

"Manufacturing and selling weapons that may be used to kill people is something the Japanese public cannot tolerate. The government made this decision arbitrarily, and it is completely unacceptable," said another protester.

"I really hope the government stops exporting lethal weapons. My child even asked me, 'Is Japan going to sell weapons and start a war?' We must do everything we can to prevent this from happening," said a mother participating in the rally, expressing her worry for future generations.

Protesters gather in Tokyo, protest against Japan's move to allow lethal weapon exports