Here's an article from a recent issue of Foreign Affairs, about why China's export market for fighter jets is not taking off, even though there jets are now very good. The sub-headline gets right to the point: countries buy weapons from allies, not potential adversaries, and are looking for strategic relationships as well as hardware.
The World Doesn’t Want Beijing’s Fighter Jets. Snazzy weapons mean a lot less if you don’t have friends. by By Richard Aboulafia,
"Fighter jet exports represent a unique combination of hard and soft power. If a country can sell fighter jets abroad, that means it can attract customers for sophisticated weapons that can sell for upwards of $100 million, which in turn proves that the country has appeal as a strategic partner.
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