China vs United Kingdom

China vs United Kingdom: Arms imports

Arms imports in 2025: 207 million TIV in China and 609 million TIV in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by 402 million TIV, or 2.94 times that in China.

Watch it change on the map

SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI

China vs United Kingdom: Arms importsArms imports in 2025: 207 million TIV in China and 609 million TIV in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by 402 million TIV, or 2.94 times that in China.
ChinaUnited KingdomWorld

What the numbers say

  • United Kingdom has been higher since 2021, when it overtook China.
  • In 2025, China ranked 36 and United Kingdom ranked 16 of 110 countries, counting from the highest.
  • The world as a whole: 33.3 billion TIV in 2025.

Every year

SIPRI trend-indicator values · SIPRI

YearChinaUnited KingdomWorld
2025207 million609 million33.3 billion
202471 million486 million30.6 billion
2023428 million469 million29.5 billion
2022646 million859 million33 billion
2021685 million886 million26.8 billion
2020775 million635 million23.4 billion
20191.57 billion402 million26.9 billion
20182.25 billion463 million27.3 billion
20171.55 billion1 billion31.2 billion
20161.21 billion288 million31.4 billion
20151.19 billion424 million28.7 billion
20141.03 billion217 million27 billion
20131.22 billion509 million27.4 billion
20121.54 billion566 million27.9 billion
20111.03 billion347 million29.9 billion
2010940 million461 million25.8 billion
20091.38 billion381 million24 billion
20081.78 billion575 million24.1 billion
20071.7 billion817 million26.5 billion
20062.83 billion375 million24.4 billion
20053.47 billion31 million21.3 billion
20043.24 billion212 million21.3 billion
20032.33 billion770 million19.2 billion
20022.83 billion721 million17.7 billion
20012.76 billion1.29 billion18.3 billion
20002.47 billion937 million20.5 billion
19991.72 billion132 million25.3 billion
1998375 million770 million27.9 billion
1997940 million513 million28.9 billion
19961.5 billion568 million23.7 billion
1995701 million496 million22.9 billion
1994304 million421 million22.8 billion
19931.23 billion796 million25.8 billion
19921.18 billion1.15 billion24.3 billion
1991439 million953 million27.8 billion
1990267 million130 million28.6 billion
1989163 million209 million31.7 billion
198897 million285 million32.9 billion
198747 million207 million36.2 billion
198611 million273 million35.5 billion
1985104 million355 million33.2 billion
198462 million682 million36.8 billion
198316 million292 million39.1 billion
19825 million766 million41.4 billion
1981–812 million42 billion
19804 million557 million37.4 billion
19798 million232 million33.3 billion
197883 million191 million39.2 billion
197772 million262 million37 billion
19761 million251 million33 billion
19751 million337 million34.2 billion
19741 million319 million32.9 billion
19731 million239 million32.6 billion
19721 million222 million28.7 billion
19711 million176 million29.3 billion
19701 million70 million22.1 billion
1969–2.7 billion24.7 billion
1968180 million2.35 billion22.4 billion
1967144 million1.44 billion22.1 billion
1966225 million242 million22.4 billion
1965257 million166 million23.1 billion
1964485 million133 million24.2 billion
1963450 million159 million18.1 billion
1962415 million38 million15.5 billion
1961952 million34 million15 billion
19602.36 billion26 million15.7 billion

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • Major weapons the country received, in SIPRI trend-indicator values (TIV): what the arms are worth as military capability, priced by their production cost, not what was paid.
  • Source: SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, via the World Bank.
  • Ranks count the 110 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
  • The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

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