The UAE has used Western military technology in joint exercises with China, raising concerns about intelligence gathering by Beijing amid its dispute with Taiwan.
China may be collecting intelligence on the UAE’s French-made Mirage 2000, a key component of Taiwan’s Air Force. [Getty]
Recent joint air force exercises between the United Arab Emirates and China have raised questions about possible intelligence gathering by Beijing on Western aircraft, according to a new report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
On July 10, the UAE Air Force and the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) launched a joint air force exercise, “Falcon Shield,” in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, where the Chinese government continues to persecute the Uighur Muslims with genocide.
The exercise took place at the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s Hotan Airport in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, according to IISS satellite imagery, where the two countries are holding similar exercises in 2023.
Concerns have been raised over the types of aircraft the UAE uses in such exercises and the information China has collected about military technology.
In the 2023 and 2024 iterations of the Falcon Shield, the UAE will field at least six Dassault Mirage 2000-9DAD/EAD fighter ground attack aircraft.
Of particular concern, IISS said, is the UAE’s inclusion of Mirage 2000 fighter jets in joint operations with Beijing. The French-made fighter jets are widely used by Western countries as well as by the Taiwanese Air Force.
China has taken increasingly threatening actions in recent months toward Taiwan, which it considers an integral part of its territory.
After the rest of China came under Communist control, Taiwan remained under the control of the Nationalist government and later became a full democracy.
The United States and other Western countries formally recognize Taiwan as part of China but maintain informal ties with its government and provide military defense to deter Chinese aggression.
The UAE’s allowing China such close access to its Mirage 2000s could allow Beijing to gather intelligence on how to counter one of Taiwan’s flagship fighter jets, or to copy and adopt Western technology.
The IISS report said the UAE’s participation in Falcon Shield would allow China to “gain familiarity with the Mirage 2000, its performance and capabilities, and the possibility of conducting different air combat training.”
Training exercises between China and countries that employ Western military technology are becoming increasingly common. Large-scale indirect exercises with China in recent years have also involved Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, as well as the UK and the US.
The difference, however, is that the UAE is taking part in joint exercises on Chinese territory and with the direct involvement of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.
The IISS alleges that as a Chinese host, the UAE may be allowing Beijing to overtly or covertly monitor military technology such as the Mirage 2000, including obtaining information on the jet’s radar identification and its capabilities.
Military ties between the UAE and China have strengthened significantly in recent years as the Gulf state seeks to reduce its reliance on the United States, causing friction with Washington.
The Biden administration warned the UAE in 2021 about suspected Chinese construction of a military base in the Gulf state.
Construction was reportedly halted after U.S. officials said the base would severely damage relations between the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates, according to The Wall Street Journal. However, in December 2022, U.S. intelligence detected further construction taking place at the site.