AP, BEIJING (AP) – China declared its support Thursday for President Bush's call for steps to halt illicit arms trafficking, saying it had a “common interest” with Washington in fighting the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Beijing would take “effective measures” to enforce recently issued rules against exports of weapons technology by Chinese companies.
“China resolutely opposes the proliferation of WMD as well as its vehicles of transportation. So China has a common interest with the United Sates,” Zhang said. “China consistently advocates strengthening international cooperation in the field of nonproliferation.”
The unusually prompt response to Bush's proposals in a speech Wednesday reflected China's efforts in recent months to portray itself as a responsible nuclear power and partner in keeping weapons technology out of the hands of rogue states or terrorists.
Beijing is under pressure to stop what U.S. officials say is the transfer of missile and weapons technology by Chinese companies to Iran, Pakistan and other countries. The United States has sanctioned several Chinese companies accused of spreading weapons technology, including a major state-owned conglomerate.
China published rules in December restricting the export of missile, nuclear and biological technologies that can be used to make or deliver weapons of mass destruction. It was the first time Beijing had released such a list, which it had been promising for several years.
“The Chinese side is willing to undertake effective measures to implement those rules that already have been promulgated,” Zhang said.
Zhang said Beijing was working closely with international bodies such as the Missile Technology Control Regime, a 34-nation coalition to limit the spread of long-range missiles. China isn't part of the group, but has promised to abide by its restrictions.
“We are very concerned with the proliferation of vehicles for WMD,” she said. “We also hold that political and diplomatic means should be taken, within the framework of international law, to solve this problem.”
Asked whether China supported Bush's proposals for changes at the International Atomic Energy Agency to give the U.N. agency stronger powers to enforce compliance with rules limiting nuclear proliferation, Zhang said, “We support the general goal of nonproliferation, and we also support the international community to conduct earnest discussions on relevant proposals.”
Zhang also emphasized China's desire to see a quick settlement to the standoff over North Korea's nuclear program.
China has played a leading role in organizing six-nation talks aimed at ending the dispute. The unusual diplomatic effort by Beijing, which has traditionally avoided such conflicts, reflects its growing alarm at the prospect that North Korean nuclear weapons could destabilize the region.
