[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 5 (Tuesday, February 3, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY EXPORT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Miller of Florida). Under the Speaker's 
announced policy of January 21, 1997 the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Pallone) is recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, on January 12 of this year, the Clinton 
administration issued a statement certifying that China had provided 
clear and unequivocal assurances to the United States that it is not 
assisting and will not assist any nonnuclear weapons State either 
directly or indirectly in acquiring nuclear explosive devices or the 
material components of such devices. This is the first time in 12 years 
that a U.S. President has granted such a certification.
  I am greatly disturbed by this statement. As many Members of this 
body are aware, China is a major supplier of weapons of mass 
destruction, nuclear and missile technology. We have less than 30 days 
to take action and either reject or accept the certification.
  Mr. Speaker, when the United States and China had signed an accord in 
1985 to allow American firms to export nuclear technology to China, 
Members of Congress were concerned over China's sales of nuclear 
weapons technology to third countries. In response, Congress quickly 
passed legislation that required the President to first certify that 
China has not sold or transferred nuclear technology to countries that 
are not subject to inspection by the International Atomic Energy 
Agency. In granting this certification, the Clinton administration has 
chosen to overlook China's recent transfer of nuclear technology to 
unregulated nuclear facilities in Pakistan and Iran. The administration 
has accepted a so-called assurance by Beijing that it would cancel or 
postpone indefinitely several projects, especially secret nuclear 
facilities in Pakistan and a uranium conversion facility in Iran, as 
the basis for the United States granting the certification.
  The administration continues to overlook CIA findings that the 
Chinese have sold 5,000 ring magnets to Pakistan for its uranium 
enrichment facility. The ring magnets were transferred to a laboratory 
in Pakistan, and the facility is named after the founder of Pakistan's 
nuclear weapons program. I would like to note that ring magnets are 
used for the building of nuclear weapons.
  The administration has overlooked, in my opinion, a CIA report that 
described the Chinese sale of a special industrial furnace and high-
tech diagnostic equipment to Pakistan. The furnace and diagnostic 
equipment have dual use and can be used to melt plutonium as well as 
uranium for nuclear weapons. Furthermore, by granting the certification 
the administration is willing to approve China's continued support of 
Pakistan's commitment to build a plutonium production reactor and a 
plutonium reprocessing plant. These facilities are essential for a 
nuclear weapons program.
  Despite the repeated protests by Members of this body, China 
continues to assist Pakistan in building a sophisticated nuclear 
arsenal. Unfortunately, this nuclear arsenal is not subject to 
international inspection. Furthermore, the administration continues to 
look the other way as China continues to export technology and 
ballistic and missile components to Pakistan. I would like to remind my 
colleagues that Pakistan is not a member of the International Atomic 
Energy Agency and bans investigators from several of its nuclear 
facilities. Members of this body have supported and at times insisted 
that China receive United States peaceful nuclear technology only if 
China halts all nuclear exports to nations with unregulated nuclear 
facilities.
  Last year a letter was sent to President Clinton by Members of this 
body stating that China has not earned or behaved in a manner that 
warrants such certification. The Arms Control and Disarmament Agency's 
annual report to Congress stated that while the administration could 
not stipulate a violation, questions remained about contacts between 
Chinese entities and elements associated with Pakistan's nuclear 
weapons program.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that many of my colleagues will support 
legislation that rejects the administration's granting of this 
certification. We have less than 30 days to act. We must send a message 
to the Chinese that we will not turn our heads away and accept its 
nuclear weapons relations with Pakistan. We should not accept the 
assurances made by the Chinese when they have continually failed to be 
responsible and act responsibly as a member of the international 
proliferation community.

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