Resources on India and PakistanChina's Nuclear Exports and Assistance to PakistanChina's nuclear trade and cooperation with Pakistan have caused significant concern in the West. Whereas most of China's other nuclear exports and cooperative projects have been for primarily non-weapons purposes (though there are still concerns given the Chinese refusal to accept full-scope safeguards and the dual-use nature of much nuclear technology), China has allegedly provided assistance directly to Pakistan's nuclear weapons program in the past. The United States government concluded that prior to its 1992 accession to the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), China had assisted Pakistan in developing nuclear explosives. For example, in 1983, US intelligence agencies reported that China had transferred a complete nuclear weapon design to Pakistan, along with enough weapons-grade uranium for two nuclear weapons. In 1986, China concluded a comprehensive nuclear cooperation agreement with Pakistan. That same year, Chinese scientists had begun assisting Pakistan with the enrichment of weapons-grade uranium, and China also reportedly transferred enough tritium gas to Pakistan for 10 nuclear weapons. Since then, China has supplied Pakistan with a variety of nuclear products and services, ranging from uranium enrichment technology to research and power reactors. China allegedly involved Pakistani scientists in a nuclear test at its Lop Nur test site in 1989. Despite these reports, China has continued to insist that it "does not encourage nuclear proliferation" and that its nuclear cooperation with Pakistan is purely for "peaceful purposes." In 1993 China and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) signed an agreement to apply IAEA safeguards to a Chinese nuclear power station sold to Pakistan (INFCIRC/418). In 1994, China reportedly turned down a Pakistani request to "correct" Pakistan's nuclear weapons and to use the Chinese Lop Nur testing range. However, despite these developments, worries remained, and the United States expressed concern that China was still providing equipment and technology that could contribute to the Pakistani nuclear weapons program, including Chinese assistance in the construction of a 40 MW reactor at Khushab that US officials feared could provide Pakistan with plutonium for its weapons program. The most recent proliferation controversy regarding Chinese nuclear trade with Pakistan concerned the late-1995 export of about 5,000 specially designed ring magnets from the China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation (CNEIC) to an unsafeguarded Pakistani nuclear laboratory, which was allegedly involved in nuclear weapons work. China initially denied that the sale had taken place; a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman called the reports "groundless" and warned the United States not to impose sanctions based on "rumors." Pakistan also denied that any transfer of sensitive nuclear technology had taken place. However, in talks with US officials China eventually privately admitted the sale had taken place, but argued that China should not be penalized, for two main reasons. First, China insisted that CNEIC had arranged the sale without the knowledge or consent of the central government. Second, China argued that the ring magnets were not magnetized, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Trigger List only covers ring magnets magnetized at a specific tolerance. Throughout the controversy, China publicly denied the sale and declared that it was a responsible state and did not support or encourage the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The resolution of the conflict came on 10 May 1996, when the US State Department announced that it would not impose sanctions on China in exchange for a Chinese pledge not to provide nuclear assistance to unsafeguarded facilities, its reaffirmation of nonproliferation commitments, and its agreement to consult with the United States on export control and proliferation issues. On 11 May, China publicly made this pledge, and informally confirmed that its pledge covered the future transfer of ring magnets. The resolution of the ring magnet controversy did not end US concerns regarding the Sino-Pakistani nuclear connection. Concerns remain about Chinese assistance in the construction of the Khushab reactor, and in August-September 1996 it was further reported that China had agreed to sell a special industrial furnace and high-technology diagnostic equipment to a Pakistani nuclear facility, equipment which reportedly can be used in the construction of nuclear bombs. China denounced reports of the sale as "groundless," and US officials indicated that they were satisfied that China was making a real effort to comply with its 11 May 1996 pledge, and that there was not enough evidence to establish that China was in violation of that commitment. In a 1997 report by the Director of Central Intelligence, it stated that China "was the primary source of nuclear-related equipment and technology to Pakistan" during the second half of 1996. [Director of Central Intelligence, The Acquisition of Technology Relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Advanced Conventional Munitions--July-December 1996, June 1997.] Since then, the United States has urged China to end its nuclear cooperation with Pakistan entirely. The US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA), in its 1997 and 1998 annual report on arms control compliance, stated that based on Beijing's long standing nuclear ties with Islamabad, it was unclear whether Beijing had broken off its contacts with elements associated with Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. China and Pakistan have continued to argue that their nuclear cooperation is entirely legitimate and for peaceful purposes. US concerns about Sino-Pakistani nuclear cooperation have persisted throughout 1998 and into 1999. Following the India and Pakistani nuclear tests, however, new signs
emerged that China had permanently curtailed its military nuclear cooperation
with Pakistan. In remarks to a seminar in New Delhi on Sino-Indian
relations, China's ambassador to India Zhou Gang reiterated that China
had not assisted Pakistan's nuclear program, stating "non-existent is the
issue of China's nuclear and missile proliferation to Pakistan" and that
"all cooperation between China and Pakistan in the field of nuclear energy
is under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards." Zhou acknowledged
that China was aware of India's concerns regarding China's nuclear assistance
to Pakistan and that Beijing had taken "a positive, flexible and pragmatic
approach and made proper readjustment of certain policies concerned."["PRC
Envoy: China Hopes To Develop Good Bilateral Ties," The Hindustan Times,
26 February 1999 in FBIS 26 February 1999; and "Chinese Envoy: China Not
'Threat' to India," Deccan Herald, 27 February 1999.]
[CHINA'S NUCLEAR EXPORTS AND ASSISTANCE TO PAKISTAN - STATEMENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS] [CHINA'S NUCLEAR EXPORTS AND ASSISTANCE TO SOUTH ASIA] [CHINA'S MISSILE EXPORTS AND ASSISTANCE TO PAKISTAN]
Last Updated August 1999
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