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)