China tightens missile control

A longtime US demand, the Chinese government has issued new rules to tighten control over the export of missile technology, state media reported Sunday. The regulations, which went into effect on Thursday, set up a licensing and registration system for companies that want to sell products or know-how to make missiles, the New China news agency said.

The announcement coincided with the arrival here of Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage, who is paying a 48-hour visit to pave the way for a summit in October between President George W. Bush and Chinese President Jiang Zemin. Arms-control issues are expected to be on the agenda of Armitage’s talks in Beijing and of Jiang’s visit to Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas.

Washington has said Chinese companies take advantage of lax regulations or even have government approval to sell missile-related items to countries such as Iran and North Korea, two nations identified by Bush this year as part of an ‘‘axis of evil.’’ Last month, the White House said it would slap sanctions on nine Chinese companies it alleged had sold weapons technology to countries in West Asia. The communist regime promised in November 2000 to clamp down on the transfer of sensitive equipment. On Sunday, White House Deputy Press Secretary Scott McClellan called the Chinese announcement ‘‘a positive step’’ and added, ‘‘We look forward to continuing to work with China’’. (LATWP)