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China's Missile Exports and Assistance to Libya
Since the late 1990's reports have emerged supporting allegations that China is providing Libya with technical and material assistance to Libya's Al-Fatah ballistic missile program. There is some evidence of high-level contacts between individuals involved with Libya's missile program and scientific institutions in China. A June 2000 National Security Agency report revealed that the director of the Al-Fatah missile program is scheduled to visit China's University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
In addition to indirect assistance through high-level contacts, missile assistance to Libya has taken more concrete forms. According to a 2 March 2000 National Security Agency (NSA) classified report, China sold Libya missile technology in March 2000 that could be used to develop its Al-Fatah missile. The assistance, which began in March 1999, is provided through the China Precision Machinery Import-Export Company. China is also suspected of selling a hypersonic wind tunnel to Libya in December 1999 and providing training in the operation of North Korean missiles or the indigenous Al Fatah.
US officials have stated that the US government has discussed the issue with China and that the US "will continue to work with China to bring its policies in line with international norms."
Zhang Yuanyuan, a Chinese Embassy spokesman, responded to the report by stating that China and Libya "have diplomatic relations" and "also have cooperative programs" but added that he was "not aware of the [missile] cooperation that China is alleged to have with Libya." In contradiction to Zhang's statment, the CIA reports ongoing Chinese missile-related assistance to Libya in its Unclassified Report to Congress on the Acquisition of Technology Relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Advanced Conventional Munitions 1 January Through 30 June 2000.
[Sources: Bill Gertz, "Beijing Delivered
Missile Technology to Libya, US Says," Washington Times, 13 April 2000,
p. 1; Bill Gertz, "US Warns Beijing On Supporting Libya," Washington Times,
14 April 2000, p. 1; Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough, "Inside the Ring,"
Washington Times, 30 June 2000.]
[China's Missile Exports and Assistance to the Middle East]
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin
Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of
International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the
opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or
its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2007 by
MIIS.
