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Cox Report

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U.S. Representative Chris Cox (Republican-California) chaired the Committee that produced the report.

The Report of the Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China, commonly known as the Cox Report after Representative Chris Cox, is a classified U.S. government document reporting on the People's Republic of China's covert operations within the United States during the 1980s and 1990s.

Contents

[edit] Committee created by the U.S. House of Representatives

The report was the work product of the Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China. This special committee, created by a 409-10 vote of the U.S. House of Representatives on June 18, 1998, was tasked with the responsibility of investigating whether technology or information was transferred to the People's Republic of China that may have contributed­ to the enhancement of the nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles or to manufacture of weapons of mass destruction.

A similar investigation had already begun in the U.S. Senate under the leadership of Senator Fred Thompson (Republican-Tennessee). Thompson had opened his hearings on China's influence in America's 1996 presidential and congressional elections 11 months earlier (on July 8, 1997).

[edit] China's theft of U.S. missile documents

Specifically, the Cox Report (released January 3, 1999) alleged China stole design information regarding the U.S.'s most advanced thermonuclear weapons, MIRV, and missile technology. The Chinese government called the allegations "groundless" <ref name=response>"China rejects nuclear spying charge", BBC, April 22, 1999</ref>.

The CIA commissioned a damage assessment at the recommendation the Cox Committee, and an review panel of that assessment. The panel chaired by Admiral David Jeremiah reported that "the aggressive Chinese collection effort has not resulted in any apparent modernization of their deployed strategic force or any new nuclear weapons development".[1]

[edit] Committee's final report was unanimously approved

The Chairman of the Committee was Republican Rep. Chris Cox of California, whose name became synonymous with the committee's final report. Four other Republicans and Democrats served on the panel, including Representative Norm Dicks, who served as the ranking Democratic member. The committee's final report was approved unanimously by all 9 members. The redacted version of the report was released to the public May 25, 1999.

[edit] Final report conclusions summarized

While several groups, including the People's Republic of China, contend that the Report is overstated or inaccurate, its authors and supporters maintain that its gist is undeniable. The report's basic findings were as follows, quoted from the above document's opening summary:

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has stolen design information on the United States' most advanced thermonuclear weapons. The Select Committee judges that the PRC's next generation of thermonuclear weapons, currently under development, will exploit elements of stolen U.S. design information. PRC penetration of our national nuclear weapons laboratories spans at least the past several decades and almost certainly continues today.
The PRC has stolen or otherwise illegally obtained U.S. missile and space technology that improves PRC military and intelligence capabilities.

[edit] Responding to the Cox Report

Image:W87 Warhead.jpg

[edit] China's response

In response, the PRC has maintained that its nuclear technology was indigenously developed and was not the result of espionage.

[edit] Congress' response

The Cox Report's release prompted major legislative and administrative reforms. More than two dozen of the Select Committee's recommendations were enacted into law, including the creation of a new National Nuclear Security Administration to take over the nuclear weapons security responsibilities of the United States Department of Energy. At the same time, no person has ever been convicted of providing nuclear information to the PRC, and the one case that was brought in connection to these charges, that of Wen Ho Lee, fell apart.

[edit] Successful prosecutions resulting from the Cox Report

Two of the U.S. companies named in the report – Loral Space and Communications Corp. and Hughes Electronics Corp. – were later successfully prosecuted by the federal government for violations of U.S. export control law, resulting in the two largest fines in the history of the Arms Export Control Act. Loral paid a $14 million fine in 2002<ref name=loralfine>Mintz, John, "2 U.S. space giants accused of aiding China Hughes, Boeing allegedly gave away missile technology illegally", Washington Post, Jan. 1, 2003</ref>, and Hughes paid a $32 million fine in 2003.<ref name=hugehughesfine>Gerth, Jeff, "2 Companies Pay Penalties For Improving China Rockets", New York Times, March 6, 2003</ref> Loral CEO Bernard Schwartz was a large donor to President Clinton's 1996 re-election bid.<ref name=liudenial>"Chinese Aerospace Official Denies Giving To Dems", CNN.com, May 21, 1998</ref> Both companies' illegal actions led to China improving the reliability of its intercontinental ballistic missiles.

[edit] Timeline

Timeline of events related to Chinese espionage against the U.S.

<timeline> ImageSize = width:800 height:800 PlotArea = left:40 right:10 top:10 bottom:10 DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy TimeAxis = orientation:vertical Period = from:01/01/1995 till:08/30/1997 AlignBars = early ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:1995

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 at:05/01/1995 text:"May 15, 1995, the People's Republic of China (PRC) conducts it's first live nuclear test since 1992."
 at:06/01/1995 text:"June 1995, Walk-in agent gives CIA agents classified PRC's document detailing American nuclear designs."
 at:07/01/1995 text:"July 1995, CIA director, Energy Secretary, and chief of staff learn of nuclear espionage for first time."
 at:08/25/1995 text:"August 17, 1995, the PRC conducts another underground nuclear test."
 at:10/20/1995 text:"October 31, 1995, FBI agents learn of nuclear thefts."
 at:11/15/1995 text:"November 1995, National Security Advisor to the President learns of PRC's nuclear espionage."
 at:12/15/1995 text:"Late 1995, Energy Dept. agents discover theft of nuclear designs while analyzing nuclear tests by the PRC."
 at:02/06/1996 text:"February 6, 1996, arms dealer from the PRC meets President at White House."
 at:04/13/1996 text:"April 1996, Assist. National Security Advisor, Defense Sec., Attorney General, FBI director learn of nuclear thefts."
 at:05/01/1996 text:"May 1996, Attorney General learns of PRC's attempts to inject foreign funds into U.S. elections."
 at:05/20/1996 text:"June 3, 1996, FBI agents warn National Security aides the PRC trying to funnel money into U.S. elections."
 at:06/15/1996 text:"June 8, 1996, the PRC conducts another underground nuclear test."
 at:07/15/1996 text:"July 22, 1996, PRC Lt. Gen. Liu meets President at fund-raising event."
 at:08/05/1996 text:"July 29, 1996, the PRC conducts most recent underground nuclear test."
 at:08/25/1996 text:"August 11, 1996, Fund-raiser Chung meets PRC Gen. Ji Shengde. Ji gives Chung money for President."
 at:02/13/1997 text:"February 13, 1997, President learns of PRC's attempts to funnel money into U.S. elections from newspaper."
 at:07/01/1997 text:"July 1997, President learns of nuclear espionage by the People's Republic of China (PRC) against the U.S. from National Security Advisor."

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[edit] See also

[edit] References

<references/>

[edit] External links

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