Weapons Smuggling China

A Chinese government official denied Friday that Chinese diplomats at the United Nations had links to a 65-year-old Taiwanese janitor arrested this week on charges of attempting to buy advanced TOW 2 missiles and plans for F-14 Navy fighter aircraft for illegal export to China. "This matter has nothing to do with the mission," said Shibing Yuan, counselor at the Chinese Mission to the United Nations. "What this man said was total fiction . . . . Nobody from the mission was involved."

A ship carrying cargo from China to the Middle East was recently inspected and found to contain illegal chemicals used for making dangerous weapons, U.S. officials acknowledged Friday. The ship Asian Senator, which is of German origin, was examined at a Saudi Arabian port in a new demonstration of the intensified U.S. and international campaign to stop the spread of deadly weapons and chemicals.

A businessman linked by the government to Chinese diplomats at the United Nations attempted to export TOW and Sidewinder missiles and plans for F-14 fighter aircraft to China, U.S. authorities alleged in documents disclosed in court Wednesday. The disclosure came during a detention hearing for businessman Chang-Yao Chi, 65, of Flushing, N.Y., who was arrested Sunday and charged with conspiracy to illegally export arms.

A Chinese government official denied Friday that Chinese diplomats at the United Nations had links to a 65-year-old Taiwanese janitor arrested this week on charges of attempting to buy advanced TOW 2 missiles and plans for F-14 Navy fighter aircraft for illegal export to China. "This matter has nothing to do with the mission," said Shibing Yuan, counselor at the Chinese Mission to the United Nations. "What this man said was total fiction . . . . Nobody from the mission was involved."

A ship carrying cargo from China to the Middle East was recently inspected and found to contain illegal chemicals used for making dangerous weapons, U.S. officials acknowledged Friday. The ship Asian Senator, which is of German origin, was examined at a Saudi Arabian port in a new demonstration of the intensified U.S. and international campaign to stop the spread of deadly weapons and chemicals.

A businessman linked by the government to Chinese diplomats at the United Nations attempted to export TOW and Sidewinder missiles and plans for F-14 fighter aircraft to China, U.S. authorities alleged in documents disclosed in court Wednesday. The disclosure came during a detention hearing for businessman Chang-Yao Chi, 65, of Flushing, N.Y., who was arrested Sunday and charged with conspiracy to illegally export arms.