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Article 25



Asia - China

US moves to curb sale of foreign arms to China

Roger Mitton , US Bureau Chief
544 words
15 July 2005
Straits Times
English
(c) 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

House passes Bill that lets US penalise non-US firms that sell Beijing weapons

WASHINGTON - THE United States House of Representatives has passed controversial new legislation that will severely curb foreign arms sales to China.

It will mandate the Bush administration to report to Congress any foreign company or individual that sells weapons or defence equipment to China.

The new law will thus permit closer monitoring of such arms sales and, if necessary, allow steps to be taken to stop them.

Coming at a time when senior members of the US government and Congress have lambasted Beijing's military expenditure, the new Bill will further confirm the perception that the US views China as its greatest future rival.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in Beijing last weekend: 'There is no doubt that we have concerns about the size and pace of the Chinese military build-up.'

Reflecting that concern, the legislation - the East Asia Security Act of 2005 - got strong support in the House of Representatives. It was tabled on Wednesday by the House international affairs committee's chairman, Republican Henry Hyde, and seconded by top Democrat Tom Lantos.

Requiring a two-thirds majority, it passed easily on a voice vote.

The measure also enjoys support among conservative groups aligned to Mr Bush.

Said Mr Richard Fisher, vice-president of the International Assessment and Strategy Centre in Washington: 'The Act represents a landmark expression of concern by the House that the world not arm a Chinese government that refuses to abide by civilised rules.'

China expert John Tkacik of the Heritage Foundation here said the Bill 'will enhance US security and force China to reconsider its military build-up and confront the growing backlash against its aggressive behaviour in East Asia'.

The new law had its genesis earlier this year in American outrage at a proposal by the European Union to lift a 15-year-old arms embargo on China.

Mr Lantos said if the EU had lifted its embargo, it would have 'raised a threat that US soldiers could face the latest in high-tech weaponry manufactured in Europe, as well as Chinese weapons systems that could be greatly improved by European technology'.

After the US protested, the EU curbs stayed. But US legislators complained about loopholes which allowed arms technology to flow to China.

The new Bill will address these concerns. Governments or companies known to have engaged in such sales can be penalised, if necessary, through US sanctions.

The Bill may face difficulty in the Senate, which has been more restrained in its attitude to the rise of China. If it does not pass unamended in the Senate, then it will not become law.

But many China watchers here are worried that the new Bill may have a negative effect.

Said Mr Alan Romberg, director of the East Asia Programme at the Stimson Centre in Washington: 'To jump to the conclusion that a threat (from China) currently exists, and to fashion legislation that codifies a confrontational US response, is actually likely to contribute to a sense of mutual hostility, thus making a 'China threat' a more probable outcome.'

rogermitton@hotmail.com

Document STIMES0020050714e17f0001h


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