Beijing yesterday demanded an end
to sanctions on Chinese companies after the US accused two firms and
a businessman of sending chemical and biological materials and
technology to Iran.
"The United States' use of its domestic laws and national policy
to issue sanctions towards Chinese companies is unreasonable and
should be withdrawn," an official statement from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs said.
The statement also said that as a
signatory to the Chemical Weapons Treaty, China "opposes countries
that develop chemical weapons and does not aid countries to develop
their chemical weapons . . . China prohibits the export of sensitive
chemical products and their related production technology and
equipment".
However, the statement did not specifically address the US
sanctions forbidding the Liyang Chemical Equipment Company, the
China Machinery and Electric Equipment Import and Export Company and
Chen Qinchang from contracts with the US government for two years.
The sanctions, announced on Thursday in Washington by the US
State Department's Bureau of Non-proliferation, accuse the two firms
and Mr Chen of violating the Iran Non-Proliferation Act of 2000,
which prohibits the sale of chemical and biological weapons
components, missiles and missile technology to Iran. The US has
labelled Iran a "rogue state" and a sponsor of terrorism.
US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said: "The
penalties were imposed for the transfer to Iran of equipment and
technology that is used for the manufacture of chemical and
biological weapons."
However, Mr Boucher offered no detail on what the Chinese
entities sold to Iran.
The Washington Times said the sanctions followed a draft CIA
report that said Iran had sought technology from China to develop
its biological and chemical weapons capabilities.
The row comes only a month before US President George W. Bush's
visit to Beijing.
The Bush administration has accused China of failing to control
the export of chemical and biological weapons and missile technology
to "rogue states".
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