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China's Missile Exports and Assistance to Syria
China's relationship with Syria regarding the missile trade has been a source of international nonproliferation concern, particularly in the United States. Most of this controversy has revolved around the proposed sale of Chinese M-9 missiles and technology. The M-9 is a ballistic missile with a range of 600 km. According to reports, China agreed to sell M-9 missiles and launchers to Syria in May 1991, although at the time China flatly denied that China had sold any missiles to Syria. In response to this sale, and also to an alleged sale of M-11 missiles to Pakistan, the Bush administration imposed sanctions on computer sales to China and US participation in Chinese satellite projects. By August 1991 US intelligence and other sources reported that up to 24 M-9 missile launchers had already arrived in Syria, with the missiles expected to follow.
In November 1991, US Secretary of State James Baker reached an agreement with China in which China gave the US verbal assurances that it would abide by the guidelines of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), provided the United States lifted sanctions. Sanctions were formally lifted in February 1992, but in early 1992 reports had already surfaced that China was exporting 30-90 tons of chemicals for use in solid-fuel missile propellant. Although the transfer of M-9 missiles seems to have been cancelled, more reports appeared later on concerning China's assistance to Syria's missile programs. In 1993, it was reported that China had provided Syria with production technologies and materials for the indigenous manufacture of ballistic missiles, including an indigenously produced version of the Chinese M-9. China also reportedly was assisting Syria in upgrading its Scud-B missiles. In 1996, a Chinese company reportedly shipped missile-related technology, possibly including missile guidance components for the Chinese M-11 ballistic missile. These reports also indicated that China had helped train Syrian missile technicians. In response to these reports, China denied that it had provided M-11 missiles or components to Syria, calling the reports "groundless" and "irresponsible."
Despite US concerns, China's alleged missile trade with Syria has not triggered new US sanctions since June 1991. (The sanctions imposed in 1993 were in response to an alleged M-11 transfer to Pakistan.) However, China's alleged cooperation with Syria on missiles and related projects is still a matter of significant proliferation concern in the West.
For more in-depth information on open-source reports of Chinese exports and assistance, please consult the CNS Missile Abstracts database.
[CHINA'S MISSILE EXPORTS AND ASSISTANCE TO SYRIA - STATEMENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS]
[CHINA AND THE MISSILE TECHNOLOGY CONTROL REGIME (MTCR)]
[CHRONOLOGY OF US NONPROLIFERATION SANCTIONS AGAINST CHINA]
[CHINA'S MISSILE EXPORTS AND ASSISTANCE TO THE MIDDLE EAST]
[CHINA'S MISSILE EXPORTS AND ASSISTANCE TO PAKISTAN]
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.
