Disarmament Diplomacy
Issue No. 18, September 1997
China Returns Supercomputer,
Adopts New Rules in Advance of Summit
In mid-September, the US State Department announced that China was
requesting permission to return a supercomputer, purchased from a
US company, Sun Microsystems Inc. of California, after the Clinton
Administration had voiced concerns about its possible diversion to
military use. According to reports, the issue was discussed by
Secretary of State Albright during a June meeting with China's
Foreign Minister Qian Qichen. On 12 September, State Department
spokesperson James Foley told reporters that although China "viewed
this as a legal transaction, they understood and were sensitive to
our concerns." Foley added:
"We are pleased with the rapid response and the cooperation of
the Chinese government, which helped us to identify a mutually
acceptable solution to this issue... We regard China's willingness
to engage on this problem as a positive indicator for future
actions with China on technology transfer issues..."
Foley stated that the computer was expected to be returned to
the US supplier within a month.
On 10 September, China's State Council announced new controls on
nuclear-related exports. The new controls had been agreed in
principle by the Cabinet's Executive Committee on 1 August (see
last issue). As quoted by the Xinhua news agency on 11 September,
the new regulations are intended "to strengthen controls on nuclear
exports and to safeguard the security of the nation and to promote
international cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
... The State will carry out strict management and control of
nuclear exports and will strictly fulfil its international
obligation not to spread nuclear weapons." The rules also
state:
"The government prohibits providing help to nuclear facilities
not subject to the supervision of international atomic energies and
will not provide exports, personnel, technical exchange or
cooperation to those facilities..."
It was not immediately apparent from the available quotes how
this position differs, either in general or specifics, from the
previous policy and stance.
On 15 September, Xinhua elaborated: "The State is in the process
of implementing a licensing system for nuclear exports... All
related items and relevant technology on the 'Nuclear Export
Control List' must have appropriate licenses prior to
exportation."
According to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Cui Tiankai, quoted
by the news agency on 15 September:
"The application process for nuclear exports will be examined by
departments in charge of [the] nuclear industry and departments in
charge of nuclear export[s]... The Chinese government retains the
right to terminate exports of approved nuclear materials if the
recipient violates the regulations, or if there is any danger of
nuclear proliferation..."
Many observers regarded this developments as elements of a
concerted bid by China to persuade the US to agree to implement a
dormant 1985 agreement between the two States on peaceful nuclear
cooperation. There is speculation that activating the agreement
will be high on the agenda when President Clinton meets President
Jiang Zemin in Beijing later in the year, either in late October or
early November, according to reports.
On 8 September, the President of the independent Nuclear Control
Institute (NCI), Paul Leventhal, wrote to President Clinton, urging
him not to implement the accord. Leventhal reasoned:
"Were you to allow China access to US commercial nuclear power
reactors and fuel before China provides convincing evidence that it
is now prepared to adhere to...global [non-proliferation]
standards...a singular opportunity to bind China to the
non-proliferation community of nations will be lost..."
Editor's note: on 11 September, two senior members of the
US House of Representatives - Floyd Spence (Republican - South
Carolina), Chair of the National Security Committee, and Committee
Ranking Minority Member Ronald Dellums (Democrat - California) -
released a report advocating a tightening in US rules for
supercomputer exports. According to Spence:
"This report confirms my belief that the administration's
supercomputer policy fails to properly account for America's
national security interest... I hope this report will help us
convince the administration to reconsider its policy before
irreparable damage is done to our national security."
Reports: Clinton warned not to rush China nuclear
trade, Reuters, 9 September; China insists nuclear exports
peaceful, Reuters, 11 September; China issues new nuke
export rules, Associated Press, 11 September; House to
revise supercomputer rules, Associated Press, 11 September;
Transcript - State Department briefing, September 12, United
States Information Service, 12 September; China returns
supercomputer, Associated Press, 12 September; US says China
to return supercomputer, Reuters, 13 September; China
implements nuclear export license system, Reuters, 15
September; US encouraged by China moves ahead of summit,
Reuters, 15 September.
© 1998 The Acronym Institute.
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