US industry has attacked moves by Congress to subject the export of communications satellites to the same controls as apply to the sale of weapon systems. The action results from allegations that China may have gained access to technology while launching satellites for US firms. The US Aerospace Industry Association has criticised as "extremely poor policy" language added to the 1999 defence authorisation bill that transfers legal authority to control exports of communications satellites from the Department of Commerce to the State Department.
Source: Flight International