Posted on 03/08/2003 9:18:45 AM PST by Indy Pendance
The United States Government has imposed a $32m fine on aerospace companies Boeing Satellite Systems and Hughes Electronics, after accusing them of supplying sensitive space technology to China.
The US State Department charged the two companies last December with more than 120 violations of export laws in connection with the transfer of satellite and rocket data to China.
Both companies said they accepted they could have harmed the security and foreign policy interests of the United States by providing the information and expressed regret.
The charges related to technical information Hughes officials are alleged to have given China after Chinese rocket launches carrying US satellites failed in 1995 and 1996.
Boeing was cited because in 2000 it acquired Hughes Space and Communications - then a division of Hughes Electronics.
Previous settlement
US officials had previously pointed out that there were many similarities between a space launch vehicle and an intercontinental ballistic missile.
A year ago another aerospace company, Loral Space & Communications, reached a settlement with the State Department over similar charges.
Loral agreed to pay $20 million in fines, but neither admitted nor denied wrongdoing.
American companies began using Chinese rockets in the 1980s to launch satellites.
After several failed launches, Hughes and Loral participated in studies examining possible causes of the failures.
Congressional investigations in the 1990s found that China had gained information on missiles from those reviews.
A fairy tale belief on your part.
You want a REAL fairy tale ? Okay, here's one : one day maui_hawaii decided to join a Conservative forum. He believed that he was well informed. ; ^ )
BTW, your two FREEPmails and one reply ( nonsensical, though it may be ), to my post, means that I hit a nerve, dear. Wise up and back off. :-)
Better yet, I might just do that. We can have an ignorant freep fight all night. Its not worth the time.
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