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China Says U.S. Claims on Missile Exports to Pakistan "Groundless"
BEIJING, Sept 4 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The Chinese government Tuesday described U.S. accusations that a leading state enterprise sent missile technology exports to Pakistan as "totally groundless", news agencies reported.
"The so-called allegations are totally groundless," foreign ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
On Saturday, the United States slapped sanctions on the China Metallurgical Equipment Company (CMEC) for allegedly sending missile technology to Pakistan, despite a pledge by the Chinese government to crackdown on such exports.
Sanctions will be imposed on CMEC for sending sensitive nuclear-capable technology to aid Pakistan's missile program, a U.S. State Department official said.
The National Development Complex of Pakistan (NDC) will face similar sanctions for receiving the technology, the official added.
Under the Arms Export Control Act, the U.S. president can bar U.S. military contracts and licenses for a period of two years for firms believed to be involved in nuclear proliferation.
But, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman denied the U.S. charge and shrugged off U.S. sanctions.
"As of now, I haven't heard of the official announcement [on the sanctions] from the U.S. ... [but] China all along opposes U.S. sanctions on other countries in accordance with its domestic law," Zhu said, quoted by AFP.
A spokesman at the China Metallurgical Equipment Company also vigorously denied U.S. accusations.
"It's a completely groundless accusation. Our company's business with Pakistan is limited to metallurgical equipment and mechanical and electrical products," he said.
"It's all for civil use," he confirmed.
Pakistan has also denied reports that it used Chinese technology to bolster its nuclear missile program.
Missile proliferation has emerged as a highly divisive issue in Sino-U.S. relations, which was tested early on in U.S. President George W. Bush's administration over a spy plane crisis, along with successive rows over human rights issues.
Missile proliferation issues clouded talks between Secretary of State Colin Powell and senior Chinese leaders in Beijing in July, and could hamper efforts by both sides to ensure that Bush's visit to China next month goes smoothly.
Powell and Chinese leaders, including President Jiang Zemin, had agreed to set up talks concerning the matter in order to prevent the row from further tainting bilateral relations between the two nations ahead of Bush's visit.
But after the U.S. team, led by State Department official Vann Van Diepen, failed to break the deadlock, Washington moved towards imposing sanctions.
China has denied that its firms, many of which are state-run or have close links to the armed forces, have sent missile technology to states like Pakistan.
It argues that it has set up a new arms export control regime and has linked the issue to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan - a parallel Washington rejects.
Under the 2000 agreement, China pledged to halt exports of items barred under the Missile Technology Control Regime, an informal international pact agreed to in 1987.
The State Department official who announced sanctions claimed CMEC's exports contravened category two of that agreement, which relates to constituent parts and missile technology.
Accordingly, CMEC and NDC will be barred from obtaining U.S. contracts and licenses for the transfer of missile technology.
Bush has been under substantial pressure to impose sanctions on China from Congress and members of his own Republican Party suspicious of China, regarded by many as an emerging superpower hostile to the United States.
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