[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 22, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H2932]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           TRANSFER OF CHINESE MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO PAKISTAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the opportunity on the 
House floor this evening to express my concerns regarding the continued 
transfer of missile technology from China to Pakistan. The Bush 
administration has reported that the transfer of this highly sensitive 
information persists even today.
  Mr. Speaker, in May 1996, China pledged to not provide technological 
assistance to nuclear facilities in countries such as Pakistan, where 
such facilities are not safeguarded. However, Chinese authorities did 
not effectively ban technology transfers which continued to take place 
after May of 1996.
  In November 2000, China entered into an agreement with the Clinton 
administration that prohibited China from transferring missiles or 
missile technology to specifically Pakistan. Apparently, missile 
technology transfers continued even after this specific prohibition.
  Mr. Speaker, what concerns me is that John Bolton, Undersecretary of 
State for Arms Control and Security has said that the Bush 
administration's policy on the illegal export of missile technology 
from China to Pakistan has not changed since the Clinton 
administration, which on November 21, 2000 imposed sanctions on 
Pakistan for engaging in missile technology proliferation activities 
with China. But from my understanding, the Bush administration has 
already waived substantially all of the missile technology control 
regime sanctions previously imposed against Pakistan citing the 
authority of S. 1465, which provided the President with increased 
flexibility in the exercise of his waiver authority with respect to 
Pakistan.
  I am extremely disappointed that the Bush administration would 
publicize that its policy has not changed since the Clinton 
administration, even though the opposite is true and that the Clinton 
prohibition was recently waived under President Bush's authority.
  In addition, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important it is 
that missile technology transfers from China to Pakistan be terminated. 
The current political situation in Pakistan is extremely unstable given 
their military dictator Musharraf's standing as president and the 
escalating conflict in Kashmir. Further, there are reports that Osama 
bin Laden, members of al Qaeda and the Taliban may have shifted into 
Pakistan. Bin Laden has been known to confer with nuclear scientists in 
the past. And it is imperative that no further missile or nuclear 
technology information be filtered into Pakistan for fear of the 
information getting into deadly hands.
  Mr. Speaker, the administration has the authority to reauthorize the 
prohibition of November 2000 that mandates China not transfer missiles 
or missile technology to Pakistan. I sent a letter to President Bush 
today, which I would like to include in the Record, Mr. Speaker, 
requesting that the prohibition be put back in place. The letter is as 
follows:
                                    Congress of the United States,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                     Washington, DC, May 22, 2002.
     Hon. George W. Bush,
     President of the United States,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: I would like to take this opportunity 
     to express to you my concerns regarding the continued 
     transfer of missile technology from China to Pakistan as 
     reported by your administration.
       In May 1996, China pledged to not provide technological 
     assistance to nuclear facilities in countries such as 
     Pakistan, where such facilities are not safeguarded. However, 
     Chinese authorities did not effectively ban technology 
     information transfers, which continued to take place after 
     May 1996.
       In November 2000, China entered into an agreement with the 
     Clinton Administration that prohibited China from 
     transferring missiles or missile technology to specifically 
     Pakistan. Apparently, missile technology transfers continued 
     even after this specific prohibition.
       What concerns me is that John R. Bolton, Undersecretary of 
     State for Arms Control and Security, has stated that your 
     administration's policy of the illegal export of missile 
     technology from China to Pakistan has not changed since the 
     Clinton administration, which on November 21, 2000, imposed 
     sanctions on Pakistan for engaging in missile proliferation 
     activities with China. From my understanding, however, your 
     administration has already waived substantially all of the 
     MTCR sanctions previously imposed against Pakistan, citing 
     the authority of S. 1465, which provided the President with 
     increased flexibility in the exercise of his MTCR waiver 
     authority with respect to Pakistan.
       I am disappointed that your administration would publicize 
     that its policy has not changed since the Clinton 
     administration even though the opposite is true and that the 
     Clinton prohibition was waived under your authority. In 
     addition, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important it 
     is that missile technology transfers from China to Pakistan 
     be terminated. The current political situation in Pakistan is 
     extremely unstable given their military dictator Pervez 
     Musharraf standing as President and the escalating conflict 
     in Kashmir. Further, there are reports that Osama bin Laden, 
     members of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban may have shifted into 
     Pakistan. Bin Laden has been known to have conferred with 
     nuclear scientists in the past and it is imperative that no 
     further missile or nuclear technology information be filtered 
     into Pakistan for fear of the information getting into deadly 
     hands.
       Your administration has the authority to reauthorize the 
     prohibition of November 2000 that mandates China not to 
     transfer missile or missile technology to Pakistan. This is a 
     matter of not only security in the South Asia region, but is 
     a national security concern as well. Reinstating this 
     prohibition is the only means to ensuring that the transfer 
     of information will be terminated and that China will in fact 
     put in place punitive measures towards companies that 
     continue to attempt to provide information illegally to 
     China. Therefore, I respectfully request that you use your 
     authority to reauthorize the prohibition on missile 
     technology transfers from China to Pakistan.
       Thank you for your consideration.
           Sincerely,
                                                Frank Pallone, Jr.

  Mr. Speaker, this is a matter of not only security in the South Asia 
region but is a national security concern as well.
  Reinstating this prohibition is the only means to ensure that the 
transfer of information will be terminated and that China will, in 
fact, put in place punitive measures towards companies that continue to 
attempt to provide information illegally to Pakistan.

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