As U.S. President Donald Trump visits China for a summit, a report said Chinese corporations are considering ways to route weapons through third countries to support Iran, which is at war with the United States.
On the 13th (local time), the New York Times (NYT), citing Trump administration government officials, said, "Chinese corporations have been discussing weapons sales with Iran and are plotting to send weapons via third countries to hide the source of the military support." The United States has gathered information that Chinese corporations and Iranian officials discussed the issue of weapons transfer, and it has also identified that one of the third countries mentioned as a transit point is in Africa.
However, even among officials who received such reports, opinions are split on whether Chinese-made weapons have already been sent to third countries, the NYT said. After the United States and Israel entered into war with Iran at the end of February, there has been no confirmation yet that Chinese-made weapons were actually used against the United States or Israeli forces.
Allegations that China is supplying weapons to Iran have continued since the outbreak of the war. The NYT reported last month that U.S. intelligence agencies had obtained information indicating that China may have transferred MANPADS (man-portable air-defense systems) to Iran. MANPADS are presumed to be the weapons Iran used last month to shoot down a U.S. F-15E fighter jet.
U.S. intelligence agencies are also said to have obtained information that China is considering additional transfer of other weapons. In response, U.S. authorities have been pressuring China, both publicly and privately, to keep it from aiding Iran.
The United States has reacted sensitively to the issue of exports of Chinese-made weapons. After reports emerged that China had supplied MANPADS to Iran, President Trump said he asked Chinese President Xi Jinping not to allow the transfer of weapons to Iran. In an interview with Fox Business Network, he said, "I sent a letter asking not to do such a thing, and he sent back a reply that essentially said he was not doing that."
On the 8th, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned nine corporations in China and Hong Kong for allegedly providing weapons and satellite imagery to Iran. They included Yusida Shanghai International Trade Co., which brokered Iran's purchase of MANPADS; Changguang Satellite Technology Co., which provided high-resolution satellite imagery; and Ningbo Haitex Thermal Insulation Materials Co., which supplied carbon fiber used to produce Iran's Shahed-136 drones; as well as its head, Li Genping.
Since the war began, China, a key ally of Iran, has reportedly provided Iran with intelligence and access to reconnaissance satellites that have tracked the locations of U.S. forces in the Middle East. It has also supplied dual-use components needed for Iran to produce weapons such as drones and missiles, but there has never been official confirmation that it transferred finished goods weapons.
Indications of China's weapons support for Iran could also become a variable at this U.S.-China summit. The NYT said, "This disclosure of information could increase pressure on President Trump, who is visiting Beijing, to raise the issue."
It is uncertain whether President Trump, who is visiting China, will directly raise the weapons export issue with Xi. That is because Trump is focusing on resetting U.S.-China relations at this summit. On the 11th, he said he planned to have "a long conversation" with Xi about Middle East tensions.
Meanwhile, the prevailing view is that it is unlikely the Chinese government officially approved its domestic corporations' weapons support for Iran. Trump administration government officials said they do not believe the Chinese government formally approved efforts to aid Iran, but added it is also unlikely that discussions between Chinese corporations and Iran took place without the government's knowledge.