U.S. remains frustrated with PRC non-action on proliferation

“There are big parts of the record which are quite good,” Assistant Secretary of State for Nonproliferation John S. Wolf told reporters, “but ... we are still concerned that entities within China appear able to export sensitive technologies.”

Stressing positive developments in ongoing discussions between Washington and Beijing, Wolf noted that “China has made some noteworthy steps in terms of

putting forward new export controls for missiles, chemical and biological weapons. They’ve revamped the process of licensing.” And, from meetings with his counterpart, mainland China’s director general in the Department of Arms Control and Disarmament Liu Jieyi, most recently in November 2002, Wolf stated that both men have gained a “better understanding” of the other’s concerns.

Yet Washington clearly expects more from Beijing. “All of that on paper is quite good,” said Wolf, “but we’ve made the point to China, and we continue to be concerned that enforcement action, implementation of the laws and the regulations, is the only test.”

Mainland China has repeatedly promised to abide by various missile technology control regimes and is a signatory to almost every international weapons of mass destruction (WMD) agreement, including the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, the Biological Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention. But according to Wolf, Beijing remains unable to control its proliferation problem.

“It is not clear to (the United States) that in the marketplace within China, that the entities understand clearly that the government of China is determined to rigorously enforce the new laws and procedures that they’ve put in place,” he said.

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