9-27-2005

中國未有效控制大規模殺傷性武器出口 (China Not Adequately Controlling WMD Exports)

美國非營利的研究機構蘭德公司說，中國缺乏控制可能用於生產大規模殺傷性武器敏感技術出口的能力。蘭德公司說，中國近幾年加強了對與大規模殺傷性武器有關技術的監管，可是北京政府在執行控制方面仍然缺少資金和技術資源。

該機構說，中國在獲得有關敏感技術出口資訊方面基本依賴西方情報機構。蘭德公司的分析人士說，這種局面表明，北京在防止外界得到強大武器技術方面缺乏政治意願。

中國外交部星期二對這份報告提出反駁說，北京全面履行了不擴散義務。今年早些時候，美國國務院說，據信中國沒有執行包括1970年核不擴散條約在內的相關核協議。

U.S. non-profit research group Rand Corporation says China lacks the ability to control exports of sensitive technology that could be used in weapons of mass destruction. Rand Corporation says China has increased regulations of WMD-related technology in recent years, but the Beijing government still lacks the financial and technological resources to enforce the controls.

The group says China now relies largely on tips from Western intelligence agencies about exports of sensitive technology. Rand analysts say the situation suggests Beijing lacks the political will to prevent outsiders from acquiring powerful weapons technology.

China's foreign ministry Tuesday disputed the report and said Beijing is fully committed to non-proliferation. Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department said China was not believed to be in compliance with nuclear agreements, including the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

中國人大首次舉行公開聽證會 (China's NPC Holds First Ever Open Hearing)

中國人大舉行有史以來第一次公開聽證會，討論通過稅收改革來縮小全國不斷擴大的收入差距。人大代表和公眾代表討論了政府有關提高個人所得稅起徵點的建議。政府建議個人所得稅起徵點從每月800元人民幣提高到每月1500元人民幣。

北京官員警告說，如果不縮小日益擴大的貧富收入差距，就可能引發社會動亂。新華社在報導星期二公開聽證會時說，這個每年舉行一次會議的立法機構從5千名申請參加會議的人當中挑選了40人。新華社報導，其中20人隨後被推舉在有3千名人大代表出席的會議上發言。

China's National People's Congress has held its first-ever public hearing to consider closing the nation's widening income gap through tax reform. Legislators and members of the public weighed in on the government proposal to raise the threshold at which people must start paying tax from 800 yuan a month to 1,500 yuan.

Beijing officials have warned that failing to close the widening gap between rich and poor could spark social unrest. For Tuesday's public session, China's Xinhua news agency said the legislative body that meets once a year selected 40 people out of some five-thousand applicants to attend. The news agency said 20 were then chosen to participate as speakers in meetings of the three-thousand member congress.