The US authorities sentenced Chinese national Tao Li to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to illegally export US military and space-grade technology to China, the Department of Justice said in press release on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2019) The US authorities sentenced Chinese national Tao Li to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to illegally export US military and space-grade technology to China, the Department of Justice said in press release on Friday."This case is one of many involving illegal attempts to take US technology to China," Assistant US Attorney General John Demers said in the release.
Demers noted that the technology in question was highly sensitive and intended for military and space use, and attempting to procure such technology without authorization was in clear violation of US export control laws.
The Justice Department said that from December 2016 to January 2018 Li cooperated with individuals in China to purchase and export radiation-hardened power amplifiers and supervisory circuits without a required license.
"Due to the technological capabilities of the electronic components sought by Li and the significant contribution that the components could make to a foreign country's military and space programs, both parts required an export license from the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, prior to being sent out of the United States," the release said.
Notwithstanding the licensing requirement, the Commerce Department has a policy of denial to export such electronic components to China, the release explained.
Li resided in China at the time and used multiple contacts in the United States to try to obtain the sought after components, the release said.
The US authorities arrested Li in September 2018 at the Los Angeles airport when he arrived to the United States to meet with what turned out to be an undercover agent, the release added.
