Chinese national pleads guilty to trying to export US military equipment to China

Advertisement Chinese national pleads guilty to trying to export US military equipment to China Chen Dingwei, 29, pleaded guilty to attempting to illegally procure US military-grade satellite modems and radios for export to China 2-MIN READ2-MIN Listen Vincent Chowin Washington A Chinese citizen faces up to 20 years in US federal prison after pleading guilty on Monday to attempting to purchase US-made military equipment to export to China, in violation of US arms export controls, according to the US Department of Justice (DOJ). Chen Dingwei, 29, was charged with attempting to purchase military-grade satellite modems and radios manufactured for the US military by US companies, which are barred from being exported to China under the US Arms Export Control Act. US District Judge David Sam accepted Chen’s guilty plea in a federal court in Salt Lake City, Utah, and scheduled sentencing for October 19. In a statement, the DOJ accused Chen of attempting to divert sensitive US military technologies to China, which could have been used against the US in the future. “These advanced technologies are a product of United States ingenuity and investment,” said John A. Eisenberg, US Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “Advanced communication systems – such as those increasingly sought after by adversaries for their sophisticated capabilities – are essential to protecting our warfighters and ensuring they can operate safely and decisively across modern battlespaces,” said James R. Ives, director of the Pentagon’s Defence Criminal Investigative Service, which led the investigation along with the Department of Homeland Security. Advertisement Select Voice Select Speed 1.00x