News

ACCESSION NUMBER:300393

FILE ID:EPF204

DATE:08/24/93

TITLE:U.S. CONSIDERING SANCTIONS AGAINST CHINA FOR MISSILE SALES (08/24/93)

TEXT:*93082404.EPF

*EPF204  08/24/93 *



U.S. CONSIDERING SANCTIONS AGAINST CHINA FOR MISSILE SALES

(VOA correspondent report on State Dept. statement)  (340)

By Don Benson

VOA Correspondent

Washington -- The United States is considering whether to impose sanctions

against China for allegedly selling missile technology to Pakistan.



According to a statement issued by the State Department August 24, a

decision could be made soon.



The State Department statement repeated what it called deep U.S. concern

about reports of Chinese missile technology transfers.  It said U.S.

officials are reviewing the evidence to determine if sanctions against

China are warranted.



Secretary of State Warren Christopher and others have repeatedly raised

concerns with Chinese officials about the missile issue.



U.S. intelligence reports indicate Beijing has sold M-11 missile technology

to Pakistan in violation of international agreements, but China has denied

the allegations.



Meanwhile, a separate U.S. dispute with China has members of the U.S.

Congress expressing concern.  The Clinton administration believes a Chinese

freighter headed for inspection in Saudi Arabia is loaded with chemical

weapons materials that were to be delivered to Iran.  A joint Chinese-Saudi

team will inspect the vessel after it arrives at a Saudi port on August 26.



Representative Dan Glickman, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee,

just returned from a trip to Beijing that included talks with Chinese

officials about arms sales abroad.  He says the Chinese consistently denied

selling chemical weapons.



"We'll be able to determine in that inspection whether there are chemical

1eapons there (on the ship) and then we'll have to determine whether the

Chinese government actively knew this or was negligent, or whether their

system does not really permit really good controls.  If the Chinese are

aggressively and affirmatively selling chemical weapons overseas,

particularly to the Iranians, that would present very serious problems,"

Glickman said.



Glickman and other lawmakers who recently visited China said they warned

Beijing that all of these allegations could adversely affect China's trade

status with the United States when it comes up for review early next year.



NNNN



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