China not ready to be responsible: US report
31 October 2006
China may not be willing or ready to play a responsible role in the international system according to the latest annual review of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission released Monday. In its report to Congress, the commission said China was failing "to meet the threshold test of international responsibility in the area of non-proliferation" by supporting Iran's nuclear weapons program and refusing to move to restrict similar North Korean operations. It also claimed that China has allowed the transfer of nuclear technology from North Korea to Iran in recent years, Reuters reported. The commission said China remained "spotty and halting" in its commitment to its WTO accession obligations while the country's pursuit of overseas oil and gas holdings could pose a threat to US energy security. It also expressed concern that China is developing biological and chemical weapons research in violation of international conventions.
