China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues

Abstract

Congress has long been concerned about challenges to U.S. security interests posed by 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 include Pakistan and countries that the State Department says support terrorism, such as Iran, North Korea, and Libya. The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, added an urgent U.S. interest in weapons nonproliferation. Since 1991, Beijing has taken some steps to mollify concerns about its role in weapons proliferation. Nonetheless, China has aggravated trends that result in ambiguous technical aid, more indigenous capabilities, longer range missiles, and secondary (retransferred) proliferation. As the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) has reported, the PRC remains a 'key supplier' of technology inconsistent with nonproliferation goals particularly missile or chemical technology transfers.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 06, 2002
Accession Number
ADA478325

Entities

People

  • Shirley Kan

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arms Control
  • Arms Control Treaties
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Chemical Warfare Agents
  • Chemical Weapons
  • Commerce
  • Department Of State
  • Foreign Relations
  • Governments
  • Law
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Energy
  • Nuclear Reactors
  • Space Systems
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Asian Economic Studies
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security