Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON — A senior U.S. Commerce Department official yesterday called on China to allow on-site inspections to verify the end-use purposes of U.S. exports that could be used to develop weapons of mass destruction (see GSN, Sept. 19).

In a speech before the Update 2003 Export Controls and Policy Conference held here, Commerce Undersecretary for Industry and Security Kenneth Juster said that China’s performance regarding WMD nonproliferation and export control issues “has been less than fully satisfactory.” Over the past year, the United States has imposed sanctions on several Chinese companies, with some having been sanctioned multiple times, for alleged transfers that could aid WMD or ballistic missile programs operated by countries of concern such as Iran.

Juster said yesterday that the United States is seeking the ability to conduct “routine end-use checks” in China to ensure that U.S. dual-use exports are being appropriately used and are not being covertly re-exported to other countries. While Commerce routinely conducts end-use verification visits in more than 85 countries, China has often restricted them, Juster said.

Juster warned that China’s further reluctance to fully comply with end-use verification visits could have an impact on U.S.-Chinese trade relations. 

“Although we have made some progress with the Chinese in this area, much more needs to be done in order to have an effective system in place. Without further progress, our ability to license exports to certain Chinese companies will decrease,” Juster said.

China today expressed its willingness to continue to work with the United States on nonproliferation issues, but did not address the issue of end-use verification visits, according to Agence France-Presse.

“The Chinese side has had good cooperation with the U.S. side (on nonproliferation),” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue was quoted by AFP as saying. “We are willing to continue this cooperation,” she said.