Booming economy 'fuelled by unethical arms trade'

BEIJING - China's secret arms exports to some of the world's worst trouble spots are fuelling human rights violations and helping to sustain conflicts, Amnesty International said.

Exports of conventional weapons are estimated to be worth nearly US$1 billion ($1.58 billion) a year and often involve the exchange of weapons for raw materials, such as Sudanese oil, to fuel China's rapid economic growth.

Such sales, Amnesty says, also fuels the cycle of war and rights abuse in the countries that buy.

"China's arms exports policy is reckless and dangerous, paying no heed to human rights," said Amnesty British director Kate Allen.

China remains the only major arms-exporting power that has not agreed to consider the impact of weapons sales on human rights.

The Amnesty report China: Sustaining Conflict and Human Rights Abuses says that China "has shipped weapons to conflict zones and countries that torture and repress their people".

Over the last 20 years, China has supplied a terrifying arsenal of military, security and police equipment to countries with a record of gross human rights violations.

China insists its arms exports are lawful, despite growing international criticism, and says it has normal military trade with countries which abide by China's policies and agreements.

China's resurgence is a "peaceful rise" and Beijing cites Washington's nuclear co-operation with India, its role in arming Taiwan, and the strengthening of US-Japan ties, as evidence of US double-standards.

Amnesty attacked Beijing's continuing supply of military equipment to Sudan despite the conflict in Darfur, which the US has described as a genocide.

In Nepal, China has supplied small arms and light weapons to the armed forces, which have been responsible for much of the killings and torture, often of civilians.

Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei defended China's role in Sudan.

"China's co-operation with Sudan, like its co-operation with other countries, delivers benefits to the Sudanese people, facilitates economic growth and its improvement of its human rights record," he said.

Much attention has been focused in recent months on China's role in selling arms and technology usable in nuclear weapons to Iran, a long-time ally and trading partner.

China has been linked to sales of high-quality uranium gas to Tehran. Washington has sanctioned Chinese firms in the past, accusing them of violating rules on transfers of weapons technology.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has warned China could become "a negative force" in the Asia- Pacific region as result of its growing military and economic power.

Amnesty said it was not just major weapons of mass destruction that were the problem; it was the weaponry on a smaller scale that was contributing to a worsening human rights situation.

"The routine export of conventional weapons and small arms has been contributing to human rights violations including in brutal armed conflicts," Amnesty said.

Cashing in

* China's arms exports are estimated to be worth nearly US$1 billion a year.

* Deals often involve the exchange of arms for raw materials such as oil.

* China remains the only major power that has not agreed to be guided by human rights in its weapons exports.

- INDEPENDENT