THE US REPORT

Former governor of Washington Gary Locke heads the U.S. Dept. of Commerce.President Barack Obama has changed policy followed by Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush on missile and space technology sales to China. Approval of sales will now be overseen by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce rather than The White House. The Washington Times, in an exclusive report, said, “The president issued a little-noticed ‘presidential determination’ Sept. 29 that delegated authority for determining whether missile and space exports should be approved for China to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke.” Obama may view Locke’s heritage and background as assets.

Locke is the grandson of Chinese immigrants. Locke’s bio at the US Dept. of Commerce said he is, “the first Chinese-American to hold this post in a president’s cabinet.”  Before heading Commerce, Locke helped U.S. companies break into international markets as a partner in the Seattle office of the international law firm, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. There, he co-chaired the firm’s China practice and was active in its governmental relations practice. He was also governor of Washington and is credited with strengthening economic ties between the state and China, resulting in increased U.S. sales.

The Times said Obama’s decision “alters a key provision of the 1999 Defense Authorization Act that required that the president notify Congress whether a transfer of missile and space technology to China would harm the U.S. space-launch industry or help China's missile programs.”  The provision was put in place after two companies, Loral and Hughes Electronics, were fined millions of dollars for “improperly” sharing technology with China.

An expert with the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center called Obama’s decision a “step backwards.” He pointed out the Commerce Dept.’s “mishandling” that enabled the 1990s breach resulting in “more accurate” Chinese missiles.

The Washington Post, in a 1998 analysis, said, “After Hughes and Loral received an export waiver in 1996, China launched a $200 million Loral satellite on a rocket that crashed. Subsequently, scientists from the two companies advised China on how to improve its guidance systems for future launches. According to a secret May 1997 Pentagon report, first disclosed by the New York Times last month, this advice also strengthened China's nuclear capability. The Pentagon report concluded that ‘United States national security has been harmed’ by the exchange…’”

The mission of the U.S. Dept of Commerce is defined on the official website as “to advance economic growth and jobs and opportunities for the American people…with cross cuttting  responsibilities in the areas of trade, technology, entrepreneurship, economic development, environmental stewardship and statistical research and analysis.”

Critics say Obama’s move will “boost Chinese military modernization” and is even more “dangerous” now than in the 1990s.