BBC's accusation on China's arms sales to Sudan 'ungrounded'

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-18 23:34

BEIJING -- The accusation by BBC about China's arms sales to Sudan fuelling war in Darfur is "ungrounded and biased", said Liu Guijin, Chinese government's special representative on the Darfur issue said here Friday.

The Panorama programme on BBC online broadcast on July 13 and 14 alleged that China violated an arms embargo resolution of the United Nations Security Council and exported trucks for military use to Sudan.

Liu said that this accusation "has ulterior motives".

He said China's Dongfeng Motor Corporation did export 212 trucks to Sudan in 2005, but all these trucks were for civilian use with carrying capacity of 3.5 tonnes each.

According to China's related rules, the export of those items for civilian use does not need to receive permission from the Chinese government.

The programme showed two pictures in which the trucks were equipped with two machine guns, and accused China of violating the UN resolution. Liu said such an accusation was "irresponsible".

Liu said that because of the bad security situation in Darfur, the rebel groups often attack the transportation vehicles in the region, including those from the United Nations and those for civilian use. The government may take such vehicles and equip them with guns.

If the BBC broadcasts pictures of such vehicles and shows the picture on the other side of one or two victims, and makes the charges against China using military trucks and machine guns to kill innocent people, Liu said "such charges are ungrounded and have ulterior motives".

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