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Link to Illegal Export From Japan
The Chinese military recently unveiled its latest weapon, the Tianyan-2 unmanned helicopter.
The T-2 flight for reporters from the PLA Daily, the official news outlet of the Chinese army, showed the PLA has the capability to field an Unmanned Air Combat Vehicle.
The T-2, developed by the Armed Police Engineering Institute, demonstrated its combat effectiveness by dropping bombs with "pinpoint" accuracy on a simulated target.
The T-2 is designed for combat in high-density environments such as cities and is officially designated as an "anti-terrorism" weapon.
The new PLA flying robot was unveiled at the same time Beijing was accused of taking an illegal export of exactly the same technology. According to Japanese authorities, the PLA bought 10 advanced Japanese unmanned helicopters. Yamaha Motor Co. is accused of exporting unmanned helicopters in 2003 to China that could be converted for military use.
Poly Tech Link to PLA
The Yamaha export was directly linked by Japanese police to a Chinese army-owned company. Ten Yamaha RMAX unmanned helicopters were sold to Poly Technologies Inc., a Beijing-based company operating under the direct supervision of the Chinese army.
According to Japanese police investigators, Yamaha submitted documents to the trade ministry that show that 10 RMAX helicopters were supplied to Beijing BE Technology Co.
However, documents provided to Nagoya Customs show that Yamaha exported the helicopters to Poly Technologies Inc. The police suspect Yamaha Motor may have tried to cover up its deal with the Chinese army firm by writing different corporate names.
According to Japanese intelligence sources, Yamaha Motor took several tens of millions of yen a year in "labor fees" from Beijing BVE and Poly Technologies since 2001. The payments are reported to be higher than the fees Japanese firms usually pay for maintenance services.
Japanese police also suspect Beijing BVE Technology, the Chinese aerial photography company, of having direct links with the People's Liberation Army.
The Japanese RMAX is capable of carrying small payloads including pesticides sprayers, high-resolution cameras and synthetic radars. The helicopters exported to China were equipped with accurate GPS systems.
The Japanese government recently expanded the scope of export control to require official permission for exports of unmanned civilian aircraft able to carry a load of more than 20 liters. The concern is that the RMAX robot helicopter can be converted to military uses such as spraying chemicals or biological agents.
Curiously, the newly developed PLA T-2 closely resembles the Yamaha RMAX. The robot choppers are similar in size and performance.
Known PLA Front Company
The Yamaha connection to Poly Technologies also resembles previous dealings with the Chinese army company. Poly Technologies functioned inside the U.S. by hiding itself behind corporate camouflage of alias names and shells of bureaucratic paperwork.
According to a 1997 report prepared by the Rand Corporation, Poly Technologies was founded in 1984 as a subsidiary of CITIC, the China International Trust and Investment Corporation, China's largest investment organization.
"Poly Technologies, Ltd., was founded in 1984, ostensibly as a subsidiary of CITIC, although it was later exposed to be the primary commercial arm of the PLA General Staff Department's Equipment Sub-Department," states the Rand report.
"Throughout the 1980s, Poly sold hundreds of millions of dollars of largely surplus arms around the world, exporting to customers in Thailand, Burma, Iran, Pakistan, and the United States."
The 1997 Rand Corporation report noted that one such subsidiary of Poly Tech, a firm called "PTK International," was also involved in illegal exports and espionage.
"Poly's operations in the U.S. quickly diversified into a series of subsidiaries and holding companies. In 1988, [the] Poly Technologies 75% stake in PTK was transferred to Dynasty Holding Company, a wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary of Poly," states the Rand report.
"Dynasty handled all incoming and outgoing money for Poly, including management of all Poly investments in the U.S., and coordinated procurement of defense related materials with PTK and U.S. firms. Allegedly, Dynasty illegally shipped some of these materials, including advanced radar systems, minicomputers, and advanced communications equipment for use in the PLA UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, to China under the guise of non-restricted merchandise."
"Poly's U.S. subsidiaries were abruptly closed in August 1996. Allegedly, Poly's representative, Robert Ma, conspired with China North Industries Corporation's (NORINCO) representative, Richard Chen, and a number of businessmen in California to illegally import 2000 AK-47s into the United States," states the Rand report.
Clinton Money From PLA
In 1996 international arms dealer Wang Jun and his "princeling" friend, the powerful He Ping, son-in-law of Deng Xiaoping, ran Poly Technologies. The Rand Corporation noted that "Wang Jung is both director of CITIC and Chairman of Poly Group, the arms trading company of the General Staff Department."
In 1996, Poly Chairman Wang Jun met with President Clinton inside the White House with convicted Chinagate figure Charlie Trie. Charlie Trie donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the 1996 Clinton-Gore campaign from Chinese sources, much of which was later returned by the Democrat party.
Poly/CITIC head Wang Jun was well known in 1996 as an international arms dealer. Wang traveled the world on an official Chinese passport with diplomatic immunity. For example, Wang was well known in Baghdad because he supplied Saddam with hundreds of Chinese-made tanks.
