Chinese Citizen Convicted of Stealing U.S. Military Technology

Chinese Citizen Convicted of Stealing U.S. Military Technology Washington? A jury in a federal court in Newark, New Jersey, USA convicted a Chinese citizen of stealing U.S. military technology...

* Liu Sixing was found guilty of stealing military-related trade secrets*

Former L-3 Communications Company employee Sixing Liu, also known as Steve Liu was found guilty by a jury on September 26 of six counts of violating the Arms Export Control Act, as well as possessing stolen trade secrets, transporting stolen property and lying to federal agents. Liu Sixing is a Chinese citizen living in New Jersey. He was arrested in March 2011 and accused of possessing large amounts of classified military data and presenting the information at Chinese university and government seminars.

According to the indictment, Liu brought his personal laptop to Chongqing and Shanghai to attend meetings in 2009 and 2010 to introduce the technical work he was engaged in. U.S. law prohibits the export of defense technology without permission. Prosecutors said that when he returned to the United States from Shanghai in November 2010, he lied when customs officials at the airport asked him about his attendance at the meeting.

Paul Fishman, the federal prosecutor in New Jersey, said: "We will not tolerate the abuse of our country's opportunities by stealing our secrets."

Liu's lawyer, James Tunick, argued that Liu Sixing was an educator, did not understand U.S. arms export control regulations, and did not intentionally commit a crime.

Liu Sixing is 49 years old and the father of three children. As a flight risk, he was taken back to prison after a guilty verdict in court. A sentencing decision is scheduled for January 7. Liu Sixing may be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and fined US$1 million. Lawyers say they plan to appeal.

*Zhang Mingsuan, who was arrested during the undercover operation, was charged*

Also on September 26, the US authorities submitted a complaint against Chinese citizen Ming Suan Zhang to a federal court in Brooklyn, New York. He was accused of trying to purchase large quantities of high-grade carbon fiber from the United States and export it to China. This material is used to make new aircraft and is subject to export controls in the United States because it is a dual-use material.

According to the information disclosed in the complaint, 40-year-old Zhang Ming was caught in a "fishing" operation by the US government. In April, two Taiwanese contacted the website of a company that sells aerospace technology, hoping to bypass the license approval process and purchase large quantities of carbon fiber. They said the buyer behind it was Chinese businessman Zhang Mingsuan. What they didn’t know was that the website was actually set up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. When Zhang Mingzhu came to the United States to contact him, the other party was actually a federal agent.

On September 26, Zhang Mingsuan said through an interpreter in court that he was not guilty. His U.S. lawyer said Zhang Ming was an honest businessman dealing in sporting goods who got into something he didn't fully understand and thought he was legal.