International Trade Law News

A spokesman of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to two recent cases involving allegations of illegal shipments of defense and dual-use items to China.

In response to the recent indictment in Florida of two men for attempting to ship defense articles to China, the spokesman rejected accusations that China had covert agents operating in the U.S. The spokesman said that the "accusation that China is collecting scientific and military intelligence is groundless." "China‘s military imports go through strict surveillance. Chinese enterprises will never purchase any military goods that cannot provide legal documents," the spokesman said.

In addition, the Foreign Ministry attempted to distance China from an investigation involving Japan‘s Mitutoyo Corporation, which was recently accused by the Japanese Government of exporting equipment to China that could be used to produce nuclear weapons. The spokesman said that "we investigated this issue and found it has nothing to do with China."