US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher declared on May 9 that 14 companies, including Chinese firms, would be given two-year economic sanctions for "selling weapon-related goods to Iran." This is the third "sanctions" slapped on Chinese enterprises by the US government under the pretext of "weapons proliferation" over the past nine months.

Eight Chinese Companies Are Affected

According to US media reports, the decision was made by the US State Department on the basis of a report of US information department, so-called "weapons-related goods" refer to chemical weapons. The report alleged that several companies of China, Armenia and Moldova had sold sensitive weapons and equipment to Iran and thus violated related US laws. According to US laws on preventing weapons proliferation, economic sanctions will be slapped on those enterprises which sell to Iran goods and technologies placed under control in accordance with the stipulations of the missile technology control system and the Australian Group (a chemical weapon control group).

At present, the US State Department has not yet disclosed the name list of these companies which, however, will soon be officially published in the Federal Registration Book. Reports say that among the eight Chinese companies under sanctions, "some had been sanctioned before by the US government." If the news is real, this will be the largest sanction imposed on Chinese companies. Over the past nine months, the United States has slapped economic sanctions three times on Chinese companies under the pretext of "weapons proliferation." In January this year, the US government applied sanctions on the China National Electro-mechanical Product Import and Export Company and another chemical equipment firm, alleging that they "sold to Iran biological and chemical weapons technology and equipment." In September 2001, the China National Metallurgical Equipment Corporation was also given sanctions. The United States alleged the company "sold missile equipment to Pakistan, helping Pakistan develop Shaheen-I and Shaheen-II missiles."

According to US past practice, sanction measures include: prohibiting US government institutions from buying commodities, services and technologies of these companies; US government institutions cease providing any help to these companies; the government suspends selling any military products to these companies; and ceases issuance of new licenses, existing licenses will be canceled, so as to make it impossible for these companies to continue to deal in all items under the control of US export management laws and regulations.

Slandering China to Be the "Source of Weapons Proliferation"

After the conclusion of the Cold War, preventing proliferation became a main point of US State security strategy, it aims mainly to stop Iran, Iraq and other US alleged "rogue countries" from achieving weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, biological weapons, chemical weapons as well as vehicles-missiles for carrying these weapons. The "September 11" terrorist attacks spurred the US government to pay more attention to the question of weapons proliferation. The saying "axis of evil" dished out by W. Bush refer to Iran, Iraq and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) who are the "sworn enemies" of the United States on the question of proliferation prevention.

The sanctions slapped by the United States on Chinese companies for so-called "proliferation acts" began in the early 90s of the previous century. In 1991, based on its "defense authorization bill," the US government imposed sanctions on Chinese companies for "transferring missile technology to Pakistan." In 1993, the United States again imposed sanctions on Chinese companies, alleging that China "transferred M-11 missile related technology to Pakistan."

Some people in the United States frequently attack China on the question regarding proliferation prevention; some Congressmen even link up the question of proliferation prevention with the MFN status in trade with China. Like the human rights issue, the question of proliferation prevention has also become a must-discussed topic during US-China top-level meeting. In a report to the Congress this January, CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) accused China of taking a "very narrow" interpretation of its bilateral proliferation agreements with the United States in missile-related sales to countries such as Iran, North Korea and Libya. CIA director Taylor again censured China at US Congress on February 6 this year, alleging that Chinese companies remained the "chief suppliers" of missile technologies to Pakistan, Iran and some other countries.

Some US media also incessantly raise hubbubs that complement with US government's groundless accusations.

The US government has all along charged Russia and China with "providing technological support" for Iranian missile program, some news media reports even point out in detail the producers of various missile parts, such as thrusters, rousers and tail fins. On the eve of US imposition of sanctions on the China National Metallurgical Equipment Corporation in September 2001, Washington Post released a series of reports, charging the China National Machinery Equipment Import and Export Corporation with "continuing to sell missile parts to Pakistan," and pretentiously claimed China had delivered 12 batches of missile parts to Pakistan by the motor vehicle transport method. The China National Machinery Equipment Import and Export Corporation immediately issued a statement, refuting this fictitious report.

China Opposes US Unreasonable Sanctions

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan indicated at the May 9 press conference that if the news was true, China would oppose US unreasonable sanctions. Kong Quan said that the Chinese government has consistently advocated complete prohibition and total destruction of all weapons of mass destruction and opposed the proliferation of this type of weapons. As a signatory country of the Non-Proliferation Treaty of Nuclear Weapons, Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons and Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, China strictly performs its international obligations and has formulated a series of relevant laws and statutes, exercising strict control on the export of relevant items.

Since China and the United States have lots of common interests on the question of proliferation prevention, why, then, frictions have arisen incessantly? Analyses by concerned experts point out that the important root causes lie in US tendency of unilateralism in international proliferation prevention affairs and its double standards. The United States turns a blind eye to the development of weapons of mass destruction by countries having strategic interests with itself and set no restraint on its arms sale to Taiwan, while making unwarranted charges against China, such irresponsible acts are bound to meet criticisms and counterblows from the international community.

( May 16, 2002)