Title:  "US Approves Waivers for Satellite Exports to China." State Department fact sheet on the waiver of legislative restrictions for six satellite project exports to China. (920911)

Date:  19920911

Text:
*EPF503 09/11/92 *

U.S. APPROVES WAIVERS FOR SATELLITE EXPORTS TO CHINA (Text: State Dept. China satellite fact sheet) (380) Washington -- The Bush administration announced September 11 that it is waiving legislative restrictions on licenses for six satellite project exports to China.

Similar waivers have been issued twice in the past, according to the Department of State.

Following is a fact sheet on the projects and the satellite technology involved prepared by the Department of State:

(begin text) CHINA SATELLITE FACT SHEET The Administration announced today that it is approving waivers necessary for the granting of licenses to U.S. manufacturers for six satellite project exports to China.

-- APSAT (Asia-Pacific Satellite) is a Hughes-built general communications satellite worth about $140 million. It will be owned by a Hong Kong consortium with Chinese partners.

-- The Dong Fang Hong 3 is a Chinese-built communications satellite. A U.S. company is supplying the satellite's amplifiers worth about $4.6 million.

-- The Asiasat 2, Intelsat VIIA, and STARSAT are U.S.-built international telecommunications satellites. The licenses allow technical launch discussions to begin.

-- The AfriStar will be a U.S.-built commercial direct broadcast radio satellite. Its owners expect to beam programming from U.S., African and international broadcasters to individual receivers in Africa and the Mid-East. This license also allows technical launch discussions with the Chinese.

Satellite license waivers for Chinese launches have been issued twice in the past.

In June 1991 the Administration imposed missile proliferation sanctions on China and refused to consider additional waivers for satellite exports.

-- During Secretary Baker's November 1991 visit to Beijing, the Chinese agreed to adhere to the Missile Technology Control Regime guidelines and parameters if the U.S. removed the June MTCR related sanctions.

-- The Administration lifted the sanctions on March 23 and agreed to renew consideration of waivers on satellite exports.

The Administration continues to monitor closely China's observance of its obligations under the Missile Technology Control Regime as well as our bilateral agreement on commercial space vehicle launch services.

This action follows an interagency export control review of these projects. The review concluded that technology safeguards proposed by manufacturers are adequate to protect U.S. technology from diversion to or unauthorized access by China.

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