China on Thursday voiced its firm protest against the US' sanctions on Chinese companies for allegedly "helping Iran in violation of international agreements,"and demanded that such unreasonable sanctions be removed.
China fully implements the obligations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and opposes development of chemical weapons by any country, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue told Thursday's press conference.
"We will by no means help any country develop such weapons," she said. "These companies are engaged in normal international chemical trade, which is in line with the spirit and goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention."
In China, the export of sensitive chemicals, equipment and technologies is managed in strict accordance with the checklist of the Chemical Weapons Convention and other regulations, said the spokeswoman, adding that the country never exports chemicals, equipment and technologies which are used for producing chemical weapons.
"We have promulgated strict laws and regulations governing such exports," she said.
On the other hand, the convention says explicitly that its contracting parties have the obligation to ensure normal trading and cooperation in the international chemical sector, she said.
Zhang pointed out that as contracting parties, both China and the United States are liable for fully implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention.
"China holds that internal laws and stipulations must never override international laws," she said, "and it is irrational for the United States to impose sanctions against Chinese companies using the excuse of so-called 'internal laws'." China is an original member of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which bars the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and calls for their destruction, she said.
(People’s Daily 06/29/2001)
