Disarmament Diplomacy

News Review

Indecisive US-China Summit

Tensions between the United States and China over non-proliferation issues remain high after a summit meeting between Presidents Bush and Jiang Zemin in Beijing on February 20-21 failed to produce any new agreement or accord. The US expresses itself as unpersuaded that China is effectively implementing a November 2000 commitment not "to assist, in any way, any country in the development of ballistic missiles that can be used to deliver nuclear payload" (see Disarmament Diplomacy No. 52, November 2000); China remains persuaded it is being unfairly singled out for criticism and that its security interests are being harmed by US missile defence plans, including the possible development of regional missile defences in Asia.

Speaking at a press conference in Beijing on February 21, President Bush observed: "My government hopes that China will strongly oppose the proliferation of missiles and other deadly technologies..." Asked if US missile defence plans had been raised, the President was unexpansive: "I did bring up the subject of missile defences, in the broad context of protecting ourselves and our friends and allies against a launch by a threatening nation. I explained to the President that we've just recently gotten out from underneath the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and are beginning to explore the full options as to whether or not a system will work. And that's the extent of our conversation."

Briefing reporters after the press conference of the two leaders, US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice admitted that "the President urged President Jiang to implement the terms of the November 2000 agreement on proliferation. That work is still underway. There is no agreement, but that work is underway." Rice added:

"There are really two issues that have to be resolved from the point of view of the United States. One is that China needs to have an export control law. You may remember that there have been a number of incidents with Chinese firms selling outside the limits of the [Missile Technology Control] Regime. And China, even though it has not been a party to that, had agreed that it would try to work within the contours of that regime. ... The other issue is the so-called grandfathering of contracts, and we're continuing to work through that. ... [T]he talks have been going better. We're getting closer of how the Chinese intend to approach some of the issues. But there isn't an agreement."

'Grandfathering' refers to China's policy of honouring contracts signed prior to entering into its various non-proliferation commitments. Alluding to this problem on February 26, an unnamed Chinese Foreign Ministry official was quoted as arguing the November 2000 commitment "is for the future, not the past. But we did nothing wrong in the past, so you [the US] should not be worried about that". The official added that "the ball was in [Washington's] court" when it came to resolving tensions over the issue. In particular, double standards needed to be dropped: "You can't just accuse us of...violating our commitments while at the same time you are selling large amounts of arms to Taiwan. ... [Such sales are] also a kind of proliferation."

On February 21, speaking after the close of the summit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kong Quan also insisted that the US had no legitimate grounds for concern: "We are opposed to all kinds of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction... We have made commitments and we will honour them... China could never allow its companies to break international non-proliferation treaties. There must have been some misunderstanding."

This last remark refers to US sanctions imposed in recent years on a number of Chinese companies for alleged missile export and non-proliferation transgressions. Most recently, on January 24, sanctions were announced against the Liyang Chemical Equipment Company, the China Machinery and Electric Import and Export Company, and, in the words of State Department spokesperson Richard Boucher "a gentleman named Q.C. Chen", about whom no further details were forthcoming. Boucher stated: "The penalties were imposed for the transfer to Iran of equipment and technology that is used for manufacture of chemical and biological weapons. This equipment is controlled under what is called the Australia Group."

US determination to reach a detailed arrangement with China on WMD-related exports was signalled in the strong words chosen by Clark Randt, the American Ambassador in Beijing, on January 21: "Our experience to date is that China does not have an effective export control regime for sensitive materials and items. I should be crystal clear on this point: non-proliferation is a make-or-break issue for us."

In testimony delivered to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on February 6, CIA Director George Tenet summarised the US intelligence community's view of the disjunction between China's declared policy and ongoing practice: "Chinese firms remain key suppliers of missile-related technologies to Pakistan, Iran, and several other countries. This is in spite of Beijing's November 2000 missile pledge not to assist in any way countries seeking to develop nuclear-capable ballistic missiles. Most of China's efforts involve solid-propellant ballistic missile development for countries that are largely dependent on Chinese expertise and materials, but it has also sold cruise missiles to countries of concern such as Iran." Tenet continued: "We are closely watching Beijing's compliance with its bilateral commitment in 1996 not to assist unsafeguarded nuclear facilities, and its pledge in 1997 not to provide any new nuclear cooperation to Iran. ... Chinese firms have in the past supplied dual-use CW-related production equipment and technology to Iran. We remain concerned that they may try to circumvent the CW-related export controls that Beijing has promulgated since acceding to the CWC and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty." The Director's remarks drew a swift and angry response from spokesperson Kong Quan (February 9): "Tenet's statement...is unreasonable, irresponsible and unacceptable."

Reports: China - US ambassador criticizes lack of non-proliferation efforts, Global Security Newswire, January 22; US sanctions China entities for arms to Iran, Reuters, January 24; US sanctions China firms over Iran, Associated Press, January 24; Transcript - State Department noon briefing, January 24, 2002, Washington File, January 24; Unclassified Report to Congress on the Acquisition of Technology Relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Advanced Conventional Munitions, January 1 Through June 30, 2001, US National Intelligence Council (NIC), January 30; Worldwide threat - converging dangers in a post /11 world, Congressional Testimony of Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet, February 6; China vents anger at US threat label, Associated Press, February 9; Transcript - Presidents Bush, Jiang discuss terrorism, North Korea, Washington File, February 21; Transcript - Rice says US wants constructive relationship with China, Washington File, February 21; China, US stumble over weapons proliferation deal, Reuters, February 21; Bush praises China as willing partner in fighting terror, but the leaders fail to reach deal on halting sale of Chinese missiles, Associated Press, February 21; China - US will not lift sanctions on firms, no arms control agreement, Global Security Newswire, February 22; China wants US action on talks, Associated Press, February 26.

© 2002 The Acronym Institute.