China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues Page: 6 of 54
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CRS-2
to deny transfers of any missiles capable of delivering any WMD (not just nuclear
weapons). A 1996 State Department fact sheet said that China unilaterally
committed to controlling exports "consistent with the MTCR Guidelines and
Annex," with the MTCR consisting of a common export control policy (Guidelines)
applied to a common list of controlled items (Annex). However, a Senate Foreign
Relations Committee report of September 11, 2000, said the State Department had
argued to Congress that China agreed to the MTCR Guidelines, but not the Annex.
On November 21, 2000, Beijing said that it has no intention of assisting any
other country in developing ballistic missiles that can be used to deliver nuclear
weapons (missiles with payloads of at least 500 kg and ranges of at least 300 km) and
promised to issue missile-related export controls "as soon as possible." After a
contentious period that saw new U.S. sanctions, the PRC finally published those
regulations and the control list (modeled on the MTCR) on August 25, 2002, as
Washington and Beijing prepared for a Bush-Jiang summit on October 25, 2002.
China acceded to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) on March 9, 1992.
The NPT does not ban peaceful nuclear projects. On May 11, 1996, the PRC issued
a statement promising to make only safeguarded nuclear transfers. China, on July 30,
1996, began a moratorium on nuclear testing and signed the Comprehensive Test Ban
Treaty (CTBT) in September 1996 but (like the United States) has not ratified it.
Premier Li Peng issued nuclear export control regulations on September 10, 1997.
On October 16, 1997, China joined the Zangger Committee (on nuclear trade). Also
in October 1997, China promised not to start new nuclear cooperation with Iran. On
June 6, 1998, the U.N. Security Council (including China) adopted Resolution 1172,
asking states to prevent exports to India or Pakistan's nuclear weapon or missile
programs. The PRC issued regulations on dual-use nuclear exports on June 17, 1998.
In May 2004, China applied to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which
accepted China as a member after the Bush Administration decided to support China,
despite congressional concerns.
In November 1995, China issued its first public defense white paper, which
focused on arms control and disarmament. Also, China signed the Chemical
Weapons Convention (CWC) in January 1993. On April 25, 1997, China deposited
its instrument of ratification of the CWC, before it entered into force on April 29,
1997. From 1993 to1998, the PRC issued export control regulations on chemicals.
On October 14, 2002, on the eve of a Bush-Jiang summit, the PRC issued regulationsfor export controls over dual-use biological agents and related technology. On
December 3, 2003, China issued a white paper on nonproliferation, which stated that
its control lists are almost the same as those of the Zangger Committee, NSG, CWC,
Australia Group, and MTCR.
Nevertheless, China is not a member of the MTCR or the Australia Group (AG)
(on chemical and biological weapons). (In June 2004, China expressed willingness
to join the MTCR.) China did not join the 93 countries in signing the International
Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation in The Hague on November
25, 2002. China has not joined the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) announced
by President Bush on May 31, 2003. PRC weapons proliferation has persisted,
aggravating trends that result in more ambiguous technical assistance, longer range
missiles, more indigenous capabilities, and secondary (retransferred) proliferation.
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Kan, Shirley A. China and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missiles: Policy Issues, report, August 2, 2006; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs9772/m1/6/?q=%22weapons+systems%22: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.