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Updated August 2008
Missile Chronology
2005-2008
18 January 2005
The New York Times reports that in January 2005 the U.S. State Department issued a one page notice in the Federal Register identifying eight companies sanctioned by the Bush administration for transferring missile-related technology to Iran in violation of the 2000 Iran Nonproliferation Act. Among the companies punished include China North Industry Corporation (NORINCO), China Great Wall Industry, and China Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC). The Federal Register notice did not disclose the specific technology believed to have been transferred.
— David E. Sanger, “U.S. is Punishing 8 Chinese Firms for Aiding Iran,” The New York Times, 18 January 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
18 February 2005
Senior U.S. intelligence officials tell the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that China is significantly enhancing its missile capability in order to strengthen its hand in the Taiwan Strait and the region more generally. CIA Director Porter J. Goss tells the committee that China continues to develop more robust survivable nuclear-armed missiles… for use in regional conflict.” DIA Director Vice Admiral Lowell Jacoby testifies that China’s is increasing the capability and numbers of its ballistic missile arsenal in order to “enhance their coercion and deterrence value and overcome ballistic missile defense systems.”
—Bill Gertz, “Chinese Military Buildup Assessed as Threat to U.S.,” The Washington Times, 18 February 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>; Eric Schmit, “Rumsfeld Warns of Concern About Expansion of China’s Navy,” The New York Times, 18 February 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.
18 March 2005
Ukraine’s prosecutor-general Svyatoslav Piskun tells the Financial Times that Ukraine exported 6 of its X-55 (Kh-55) cruise missiles to China in 2001. Prosecutor-general Piskun says that a Ukranian businessman had been arrested last year for making the export and that the deal had been orchestrated by two Russian businessmen. The X-55 has a range of 3000km, giving China the ability to use it to target countries as far away as Japan.
—Ukraine Admits Exporting Missiles to Iran, China, The Financial Times, 18 March 2005, in OSC Document ID EUP20050318000151.
3 May 2005
Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Taiwan Work Office Deputy Director Wang Zaixi says that Beijing is willing discuss its “missile issue” with Taipei as long as such negotiations occur under the pretext of the “one-China” principle.
—Xinhua News Agency, 3 May 2005, in “Ready to” Discuss Missile Issue with Taiwan under one-China,” BBC Monitoring, 3 May 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.
18 May 2005
According to Jane’s Defence Weekly, China’s Poly Technogies has built a prototype stage FB-6A Missile Launch Vehicle mobile air defense system. The system is said to be “nearly identical” to United States Boeing Avenger air defense system.
—Christopher F. Foss, “China Develops FB-6A Air Defence System,” Jane’s Defence Weekly, 18 May 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.
4 June 2005
During the first session of the Shangri-la Dialogue security forum held at the Shangri-la Hotel in Singapore, U.S Defense Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld criticizes China for lack of transparency on the amount its military spending. During his speech Rumsfeld asks “Since no nation threatens China, one wonders: Why this growing investment? Why these continuing large and expanding arms purchases?”
—David Boey, “U.S. Blasts China’s Defence Spending; Rumsfeld Also Questions Why Beijing Has So Many Missiles Aimed at Taiwan,” The Straits Times (Singapore), 5 June 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.
18 June 2005
According to Japanese government sources China test launches its Ju Lang-2 submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from a nuclear submarine in waters near Qingdao. The SLBM, whose technology is based off the Dong Feng 31 intercontinental ballistic missile, lands in a Chinese desert several thousand kilometers away.
—China Test-Fires New Submarine-Launched Missile, The Daily Yomiuri, 18 June 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.
14 July 2005
Major Gen. Zhu Chengdu, a dean at China’s National Defense University, tells The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times that “if the Americans draw their missiles and position-guided ammunition into the target zone on China’s territory, I think we will have to respond with nuclear weapons.” Maj. Gen Zhu made the comments The Chinese Foreign and Defense Ministries declined to comment in response to Major-Gen. Zhu’s remarks.
—Joseph Kahn, “Chinese General Threatens Use of A-Bombs if U.S. Intrudes,” The New York Times, 15 July 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>; Chua Chin Hon, “China General’s Nuke Threat; Says if U.S. Attacked China Over Taiwan, It Could Hit Back with Nukes,” Strait Times (Singapore), 16 July 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.
1 September 2005
The Information Office of China’s State Council issues a white paper on Beijing’s official nonproliferation policy entitled “China’s Endeavors for Arms Control, Disarmament and Nonproliferation.” The document states with regards to missile proliferation that “China advocates the establishment of a fair and non-discriminatory multilateral mechanism universally accepted by the international community in the field of missile non-proliferation.” The white paper also says that while China is not a member of the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC) it is making “joint efforts” with all subscribing states and relevant parties to prevent ballistic missile proliferation.
—Xinhua News Agency, 1 September 2005, in “Chinese Agency Carries “Text” of White Paper on Arms Control, Nonproliferation,” BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 1 September 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.
14 October 2005
After the successful of China’s Shenzou-6 manned spacecraft on 12 October, the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) issues a statement on its official website which says that “Russia does not cooperate with China in the field of missile technologies.”
—Interfax-AVN Military News Agency website, 13 October 2005 in “Russia Has not Helped China with Rocket Technology- Space Agency, BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 14 October 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.
18-20 October 2005
U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld travels to Beijing and becomes part of the first U.S. delegation to visit the headquarters of China’s nuclear armed forces, the Second Artillery. During his trip Rumsfeld tells a symposium at the Chinese Military Academy for Science that China’s expanding ballistic missile forces gives “cause for concern” among “a number of countries with interests in this region.” Second Artillery commander General Jing Zhiyuan assures Rumsfeld that China will abide by its “no first use” policy with regards to its nuclear weapons. The U.S. Department of Defense also asked to visit China’s military command center in Western Hills but this request was turned down.
—Thom Shanker, Rumsfeld Tells China its Military Buildup Worries Neighbors, The New York Times, 21 October 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>; “Rumsfeld’s Parting Shot; ‘China is Expanding its Ballistic Missile Forces and Those Forces are Enabled to Reach Many Areas of the World, Well Beyond the Pacific Region… a Number of Countries… are Asking Questions About China’s Intentions,’” The Straits Times (Singapore), 21 October 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>; Bill Gertz, “China’s Military Center Off-Limits; Beijing Won’t Allow Rumsfeld to Tour Western Hills,” The Washington Times, 15 October 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.
26 December 2005
U.S. State Department spokesman Adam Ereli announces that the Bush administration has imposed new sanctions on Chinese companies it believes have aided Iran’s missile program. The companies include North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), China Aero-technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC), Hongdu Aviation Industry Group, the Limmt Metallurgy and Minerals Company, Ounion (Asia) International Economic and Technical Cooperation Ltd. and the Zibo Chemet Equipment Company. The sanctions economic impact will likely be limited however, due to the fact that the companies are already barred from doing business with the United States.
—Bill Gertz, “U.S. Puts Sanctions on Chinese Firms for Aiding Tehran,” The Washington Times, 27 December 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>; David E. Sanger, “U.S. to Punish 9 Companies Said to Help Iran on Arms,” The New York Times, 28 December 2005, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.
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 © 2008
by MIIS.
