China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues
Abstract
Congress has long been concerned about whether U.S. policy advances the national interest in reducing the role of the People s Republic of China (PRC) in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles that could deliver them. Recipients of China s technology reportedly include Pakistan and countries that the State Department says support terrorism, such as Iran and North Korea. This CRS Report, updated as warranted, discusses the security problem of China s role in weapons proliferation and issues related to the U.S. policy response since the mid- 1990s. China has taken some steps to mollify U.S. concerns about its role in weapons proliferation. Nonetheless, supplies from China have aggravated trends that result in ambiguous technical aid, more indigenous capabilities, longer-range missiles, and secondary (retransferred) proliferation. According to unclassified reports to Congress by the intelligence community, China has been a key supplier of weapons technology, particularly missile or chemical technology. Policy issues in seeking PRC cooperation have concerned summits, sanctions, and satellite exports. On November 21, 2000, the Clinton Administration agreed to waive missile proliferation sanctions, resume processing licenses to export satellites to China, and discuss an extension of the bilateral space launch agreement, in return for another promise from China on missile nonproliferation. However, ongoing PRC proliferation activities again raised questions about sanctions. In contrast to the Clinton Administration, the Bush Administration repeatedly has imposed sanctions on PRC entities for troublesome transfers. On 19 occasions, the Administration has imposed sanctions on 32 different PRC entities (not the government) for transfers (related to missiles and chemical weapons) to Pakistan, Iran, or another country, including repeated sanctions on some serial proliferators.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 13, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA475314
Entities
People
- Shirley Kan
Organizations
- Library of Congress