China privately admits helping Iraq

Drawing of an Iraqi radar system

By Andrea Koppel
CNN State Department Correspondent

WASHINGTON -- Despite the Chinese government's public denial that Chinese companies helped Iraq build a project "of fiber optic cable for air defense," senior State Department officials tell CNN that behind closed doors Beijing's message is quite different.

These officials say that in private communications between the Bush administration and the Chinese government, Beijing has admitted some Chinese companies have been involved in telecommunications work in Iraq.

"If you improve telecommunications, you improve the military's ability to communicate," explained one senior State Department official speaking on condition of anonymity.

Last month, the United States and Britain carried out air strikes on Iraqi air defense systems near Baghdad.

The United States said the radar systems had recently been upgraded, allowing Baghdad to fire more accurately at planes patrolling the no-fly zones over Iraq.

U.S. knew of Chinese workers

Following the air strikes, the United States said it carried out the attacks at that precise time to avoid hitting Chinese workers in the area.

Later, the United States admitted it had warned the Chinese government on several occasions, dating back to January, to order the Chinese companies to stop their work.

On Tuesday, China's foreign minister said that a "serious investigation" into the allegations was completed.

"Chinese enterprises and corporations have not assisted Iraq in building the project of fiber optic cable for air defense," said Tang Jiaxuan.

The United States has not accused Chinese workers of building fiber optic cables specifically. Rather, Washington has alleged that Chinese companies have assisted Iraqi telecommunications in violation of United Nations sanctions.

Privately, China has told the United States it intends to abide by U.N. sanctions and has already instructed all Chinese companies doing business in Iraq, including Huwei Technologies and ZTE corporation, to "stop working in Iraq" in areas violating U.N. sanctions, explained one senior State Department official.

As to whether the Chinese government was directly involved in this work, officials point out that every telecommunications company in China is linked to the Ministry of Post and Communications and/or the military.

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