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Export Controls: Some Controls Over Missile-Related Technology Exports to China Are Weak

NSIAD-95-82 Published: Apr 17, 1995. Publicly Released: May 17, 1995.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and U.S. missile technology-related exports to the Peoples' Republic of China, focusing on the: (1) extent to which dual-use and missile technologies are exported to sensitive end-users; (2) U.S. government's ability to monitor China's compliance with the U.S.-China bilateral agreement; and (3) effectiveness of U.S. sanctions imposed on China.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Commerce To ensure that the appropriate licenses are referred to the Missile Technology Export Controls group, the Secretary of Commerce should provide periodic reports to the interagency group on those dual-use licenses for China whose commodities are classified under Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCN) containing items subject to missile technology controls. The reports should include, as a minimum, license numbers and ECCN, names of the end-user and/or ultimate consignee, end-use descriptions, and descriptions of the commodities to be licensed.
Closed – Not Implemented
New review and referral procedures were set forth in an Executive Order that obviates the need for the report.
Department of Commerce The Secretaries of Commerce, State, and Defense, and the Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, should use licensing information contained in dual use license reports to establish mutually acceptable criteria and guidelines for selection of other licenses for interagency review.
Closed – Implemented
New review and referral procedures were set forth in an Executive Order that essentially satisfied the intent of the recommendation.
Department of Defense The Secretaries of Commerce, State, and Defense, and the Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, should use licensing information contained in dual use license reports to establish mutually acceptable criteria and guidelines for selection of other licenses for interagency review.
Closed – Implemented
New review and referral procedures were set forth in an Executive Order that essentially satisfied the intent of the recommendation.
Department of State The Secretaries of Commerce, State, and Defense, and the Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, should use licensing information contained in dual use license reports to establish mutually acceptable criteria and guidelines for selection of other licenses for interagency review.
Closed – Implemented
New review and referral procedures were set forth in an Executive Order that essentially satisfied the intent of the recommendation.
United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency The Secretaries of Commerce, State, and Defense, and the Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, should use licensing information contained in dual use license reports to establish mutually acceptable criteria and guidelines for selection of other licenses for interagency review.
Closed – Implemented
New review and referral procedures were set forth in an Executive Order that essentially satisfied the intent of the recommendation.
Department of Commerce The Secretary of Commerce should establish criteria to determine under what conditions approval of dual-use technology exports to China should be conditioned on the successful performance of pre-license checks. Such criteria might include the nature and proliferation credentials of the end user, the potential end-uses of the commodities to be exported, or the favorable outcome of the check.
Closed – Implemented
Commerce has established criteria based on timeliness (with a 60-day deadline).
See All 6 Recommendations

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Topics

International Affairs
Arms control agreementsExport regulationForeign governmentsInspectionInteragency relationsInternational cooperationInternational relationsLicensesNuclear proliferationTechnology transfer