US moves a step closer to arms sales to China

With Defense Department confirmation that it would consider case-by- case sales to China of trucks, communications equipment, and certain types of early-warning radar, the United States is one step closer to selling weapons systems to the Peking government.

Sales of technology with both civilian and military uses require approval of US allies on the interallied coordinating commission for strategic sales and are being discussed with other US government agencies and the US business firms concerned.

Official US policy remains not to sell arms or weapons systems to China, while the government does not object to such sales by US allies, notes Monitor correspondent John K. Cooley.