China on Thursday denied as ”groundless” allegations that it was trying to steal military and scientific intelligence from the United States.
”The so-called accusation that China is stealing US military and scientific intelligence is groundless,” foreign ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao said.
A Taiwanese man has pleaded guilty in the US to spying for Beijing. He had been seeking illegally to export missiles and aircraft parts to China.
Ko-Suen Moo, also known as Bill Moo, was arrested in November. He was formally accused in February of being an agent for China, and of conspiring to buy and export missiles and engines for fighter planes and helicopters, the US District Attorney’s office in Miami said on Wednesday.
Liu maintained that China had strict procedures for the procurement of weapons overseas. ”We have a series of approval and oversight procedures on the import of military products,” he said.
”The Chinese military product importers will not purchase any products from suppliers who fail to provide legal documents.”
Court documents allege that during a trip to Florida, Moo inspected an F-16 aircraft engine and transferred $140 000 to cover transportation costs for its delivery to an airstrip in China.
Moo told authorities that once the purchase of the fighter jet engine was completed, he planned to buy 70 Blackhawk helicopter engines as well as air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles.
He was also accused of trying to buy his way out of jail by offering an official $500 000.
Authorities are still looking for his alleged co-conspirator, Maurice Serge Voros, from Paris.
Moo faces up to 30 years in jail and fines totalling $2-million if found guilty on all counts. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. — AFP
