Chinese Obtained U.S. Arms Secrets

January 13, 1999

A select House committee recently released a classified report about Chinese acquisition of U.S. arms secrets. In an unusually bipartisan report, the committee found that over the last 20 years, China obtained, sometimes through theft, some of the most sensitive of American military technology, including nuclear weapons design.

The report by Christopher Cox's committee shouldn't be a complete surprise to those of you who hear my radio commentaries on a regular basis. I have talked about these leaks and thefts, during the last year. In fact, this investigation was prompted by concerns that satellite- and missile-related technology was being transferred illegally during the Clinton Administration. What the panel found went far beyond the original concerns.

In a carefully worded statement, Representative Christopher Cox said China's acquisition of American technology had harmed national security and that its "acquisition efforts over the past two decades" had been a "serious, sustained" activity.

For now, the committee's 700-page report is secret because so much of its six-month inquiry dealt with classified information. The committee, however, has been working to declassify as many of the findings as possible.

Those who have looked at the document said it agreed with the assessments by the Pentagon and the State Department that information shared by Hughes Electronics Corporation and Loral Space and Communications had improved China's ability to launch satellites and ballistic missiles. By the way, Bernard Schwartz is the chairman of Loral Space and Communications and was the largest personal contributor to the Democratic Party last year.

But the most explosive part of the report is that China has stolen military-related American technology. More evidence for that is likely to surface as certain key documents are declassified.

As I have said before, this is a national security issue that many people are taking much too lightly. This latest report is but one more reminder of the need to pay attention to China and our foreign policy with this country.

I'm Kerby Anderson of Probe Ministries, and that's my opinion.

© 1998 Probe Ministries International