by Hibberd Kline
Impunity Watch, Asia

BEIJING, China — On September 2, Canadian newspaper, the Globe and Mail, published a story regarding official documents found in Tripoli detailing mid-July meetings at which representatives of three major Chinese state-controlled weapons manufacturing firms offered to sell $200 million worth of weapons to senior Gadhafi security officials.

According to the Globe and Mail, the documents contain evidence that representatives of the companies proposed to sell the Gadhafi regime “the entire contents of their stockpiles” including: truck-mounted rocket launchers, fuel-air explosive missiles, anti-tank missiles, and QW-18 surface-to-air missiles among other weaponry.

The Globe and Mail reported that the companies promised to manufacture additional supplies if necessary.

The newspaper further alleged that the Chinese representatives had emphasized the need for confidentiality during their meetings with the Libyans and had suggested the use of Algeria and South Africa, who had “previously worked with China,” to deliver the armaments without direct Chinese involvement in their transportation.

The documents found by the Globe and Mail listed the three state-controlled Chinese firms as: China North Industries Corporation (Norinco), the China National Precision Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CPMIC), and China XinXing Import & Export Corporation.

Norinco has been the target of US sanctions in the past for allegedly supplying missile parts to Iran in violation of China’s arms control rules.

The Globe and Mail’s publication put Beijing immediately on the defensive.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry quickly denied that any contracts had been signed, and that any weapons had been sold or supplied to Libya by Chinese firms.

Later in the week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jian Yu acknowledged that a meeting did take place between Gadhafi’s officials and representatives of the Chinese firms and that invoices had been issued that listed weapons prices for inventory from small arms to rocket launchers.

However, Jiang firmly stressed that the meeting had occurred without the knowledge of the Chinese government. She pledged that China will continue to “strictly implement the UN resolution” and that it will also strengthen controls over arms exports.

Jiang went on to say that “competent authorities for military trade will handle the matter in a serious manner,” which some analysts have interpreted to mean that an investigation on the part of Chinese authorities will likely follow.

When asked about the possibility of whether the Chinese companies or their personnel might be punished for meeting with Gadhafi’s officials, Jiang responded that she was sure that the situation would be dealt with “in a serious and conscientious way.”

In February, as the Libyan uprising gathered steam China approved UN Resolution 1970, which banned all military assistance to Tripoli. China was also quick to open contacts with Libyan rebel leaders, whom it invited to Beijing for a consultation.

Furthermore, China has repeatedly stressed that it has provided humanitarian assistance to the Libyan people and has attempted to promote dialogue between the rebels and the Gadhafi regime for the purpose of resolving the situation without further bloodshed.

However, China has thus far refused to join the growing list of nations that recognize the victorious rebels’ National Transitional Council (NTC) as Libya’s legitimate government and has shown great reluctance to hand over frozen Libyan assets to the fledgling government.

Many analysts have suggested that China’s faltering relationship with Libya’s rebels may threaten the potential for Chinese firms to be awarded lucrative Libyan oil and reconstruction contracts.

Before the uprising began, Libyan oil shipments accounted for a strategically significant three percent of China’s supply. There has been much speculation that China had been courting both the rebels and Gadhafi simultaneously in order to hedge its bets and thereby guarantee future security of its oil supply.

NTC leaders do not yet appear to agree on a proper response to the meetings between the Chinese firms and Gadhafi’s officials.

Omar Hariri, chief of the NTC’s military committee said that he has reviewed the documents. He expressed outrage that the Chinese were negotiating the sale of arms to Gadhafi while rebel troops were suffering heavy casualties.

Mr. Hariri and several other rebel leaders suspect China and other nations of secretly delivering weapons, intelligence and other supplies to government forces during the fighting. Mr. Hariri said that the documents explained the presence of brand-new weaponry that he and his forces had faced on the battlefield.

Referring to the weaponry promised in the invoices, Hariri said that he was “almost certain that these guns arrived and were used against” his people.

However, other rebel leaders have responded with a more cautious and conciliatory tone. NTC spokesman, Jalal al-Gallal, said that he believed China’s assurances that it was unaware of any weapons sales.

Gallal went on to stress the importance of remembering that China is a superpower. “We all rely on products that come from China. We would have hoped they would have been on our side… But if it is in the interests of the Libyan people to deal with China, then we will deal with China… It is very expensive and time consuming to settle old scores.”

Gallal conceded that; “of course there will be some reaction.” He noted that Libya will “favor certain countries who stood by us.”

For more information, please see:

CBC News – Libya-China arms memos prompt Beijing pledge –  06 September 2011

Shanghai Daily- China sold no weapons to Gadhafi – 06 September 2011

BBC News – China confirms weapons firms met Gaddafi envoys in July – 05 September 2011

Guardian – Chinese arms companies ‘offered to sell weapons to Gaddafi regime – 05 September 2011

Reuters – China says didn’t know of arms sales talks with Gaddafi forces – 05 September 2011

Reuters – Libyans say China, Europe sent arms to Gaddafi – 05 September 2011

Globe and Mail – China offered Gadhafi huge stockpiles of arms: Libyan memos –  02 September 2011