<font class="pageTitle"><font size="4"> Singapore residents indicted for illegal export</font> </font>
<p>
</p>
<p><font class="pageTitle"><font><font class="newstxt"> MYSTERY surrounds a Singapore firm named in an American court case in connection with allegedly unauthorised exports to China.
<br />
<br />For over a year, the company, :Firmspace (Singapore), appears to have not had any business.
<br />
<br />But it has not laid off any employees and was even able to pay its staff promptly, said its receptionist, who only wanted to be known as Ms Vera.
<br />
<br />“I found it quite strange but I never thought of asking the bosses, as long as I still got my salary,” she told Today.
<br />
<br />Firmspace :lists research and development for electronics and photonics and general import and export as its business activities.
<br />
<br />It emerged yesterday that two Singapore residents affiliated with Firmspace have been indicted in a United States court alongside a Chinese national charged with conspiring to export carbon-fibre material to a Chinese space agency that builds satellites and spacecraft.
<br />
<br />Carbon-fibre can also be used to enrich uranium, which in turn, can be used to develop nuclear weapons.
<br />
<br />Today understands that Mr Ding Jian Wei is a supervisor at Firmspace, whileMr Lim Kok Tong left the company about one-and-a-half years ago. It is unclear if the men were employed in other companies. The third man, Chinese national Cheng Ping, is a US resident.
<br />
<br />When she learnt of the news, Ms Vera was shocked and took several minutes to compose herself. “It’s very shocking to hear. Mr Ding has been out of the country for about a week for business but he didn’t say where he was going,” she said yesterday.
<br />
<br />Attempts to reach Mr Ding on his mobile phone wereunsuccessful.
<br />
<br />The Associated Press reported that the two Singapore men allegedly ordered the carbon-fibre material from an unnamed company based in Minnesota, wiring large sums of money from Singapore to pay for the materials.
<br />
<br />Mr Ding and Mr Lim are said to have shipped the materials from Minnesota to New York, where Mr Cheng was to inspect and store them.
<br />
<br />None of the three employees working in Firmspace knew what was sustaining the business, Ms Vera said. But she stated that Firmspace had been “involved in a few projects” -- she didn’t know the nature of these projects, though -- since it stopped its import and export business, but none of them were successful.
<br />
<br />According to media reports, the US Justice Department said the carbon-fibre material was headed to the Chinese Academy of Space Technology -- which builds satellites for the Chinese government.
<br />
<br />TODAY’s checks revealed that Chinese nationals Mr Hou Xinlu and Mr Gao Xiang are listed as Firmspace’s directors. It is believed they are based in China.
<br />
<br />The US Justice Department also reported on Tuesday that illegal exports of weapons, military equipment and national security-related technology to potentially adversial nations are on the rise.
<br />
<br />Of 145 people or companies charged with shipments last year, nearly half involved - or 43 per cent - were exporting goods to Iran and China.
<br />
<br />An estimated 74 exporters have been charged with sending goods to Iran over the last two years, and another 23 to China over the same period, said a spokesman. </font></font></font>
</p>
<p>
</p>
<p><font class="pageTitle"><font><font class="newstxt"> MYSTERY surrounds a Singapore firm named in an American court case in connection with allegedly unauthorised exports to China.
<br />
<br />For over a year, the company, :Firmspace (Singapore), appears to have not had any business.
<br />
<br />But it has not laid off any employees and was even able to pay its staff promptly, said its receptionist, who only wanted to be known as Ms Vera.
<br />
<br />“I found it quite strange but I never thought of asking the bosses, as long as I still got my salary,” she told Today.
<br />
<br />Firmspace :lists research and development for electronics and photonics and general import and export as its business activities.
<br />
<br />It emerged yesterday that two Singapore residents affiliated with Firmspace have been indicted in a United States court alongside a Chinese national charged with conspiring to export carbon-fibre material to a Chinese space agency that builds satellites and spacecraft.
<br />
<br />Carbon-fibre can also be used to enrich uranium, which in turn, can be used to develop nuclear weapons.
<br />
<br />Today understands that Mr Ding Jian Wei is a supervisor at Firmspace, whileMr Lim Kok Tong left the company about one-and-a-half years ago. It is unclear if the men were employed in other companies. The third man, Chinese national Cheng Ping, is a US resident.
<br />
<br />When she learnt of the news, Ms Vera was shocked and took several minutes to compose herself. “It’s very shocking to hear. Mr Ding has been out of the country for about a week for business but he didn’t say where he was going,” she said yesterday.
<br />
<br />Attempts to reach Mr Ding on his mobile phone wereunsuccessful.
<br />
<br />The Associated Press reported that the two Singapore men allegedly ordered the carbon-fibre material from an unnamed company based in Minnesota, wiring large sums of money from Singapore to pay for the materials.
<br />
<br />Mr Ding and Mr Lim are said to have shipped the materials from Minnesota to New York, where Mr Cheng was to inspect and store them.
<br />
<br />None of the three employees working in Firmspace knew what was sustaining the business, Ms Vera said. But she stated that Firmspace had been “involved in a few projects” -- she didn’t know the nature of these projects, though -- since it stopped its import and export business, but none of them were successful.
<br />
<br />According to media reports, the US Justice Department said the carbon-fibre material was headed to the Chinese Academy of Space Technology -- which builds satellites for the Chinese government.
<br />
<br />TODAY’s checks revealed that Chinese nationals Mr Hou Xinlu and Mr Gao Xiang are listed as Firmspace’s directors. It is believed they are based in China.
<br />
<br />The US Justice Department also reported on Tuesday that illegal exports of weapons, military equipment and national security-related technology to potentially adversial nations are on the rise.
<br />
<br />Of 145 people or companies charged with shipments last year, nearly half involved - or 43 per cent - were exporting goods to Iran and China.
<br />
<br />An estimated 74 exporters have been charged with sending goods to Iran over the last two years, and another 23 to China over the same period, said a spokesman. </font></font></font>
</p>
