China says 'honest' in upholding approve on Iran

China has been honest in its efforts to uphold nuclear sanctions against Iran, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, though a spokesman would not deny that some Chinese companies may be given that restricted technology to Tehran. The comments came after The Washington Post reported that the U.S. has asked Beijing to do additional to stop Chinese companies from providing assistance and expertise to Iran's efforts to expand nuclear weapons and more powerful missiles. In Washington, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the U.S. has told Beijing about its concern about certain Chinese companies. China has said it would examine, he said.

The Post reported Robert Einhorn, the State Department official who manage the enforcement of sanction against Iran, gave a "significant list" of such company and banks to Chinese officials last month. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said China believe all countries should execute U.N. resolutions beside Iran in a "comprehensive, accurate and earnest" manner."China has always been honest in implementing and fulfilling our international requirement and has taken a positive part in this regard," Ma said at a regularly scheduled briefing.

However, asked to deny outright that Chinese companies or banks were concerned in transfer nuclear technology to Iran, Ma declined, saying only: "I have given a very comprehensive statement on our position." In June, the U.N. imposed a fourth round of sanction on Iran over its rejection to halt uranium enrichment. Western countries are disturbed the program masks Iranian ambitions for making nuclear weapons. Iran says it wants to enrich uranium to create fuel for a planned reactor network and denies charge that it will use the program to make fissile warhead material.