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Chinese national pleads guilty to trying to export US military equipment to China
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Vincent Chowin WashingtonPublished: 5:54am, 11 Aug 2026Updated: 5:55am, 11 Aug 2026A Chinese citizen faces up to 20 years in US federal prison after pleading guilty on Monday to attempting to purchase US-made military equipment to export to China, in violation of US arms export controls, according to the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
Chen Dingwei, 29, was charged with attempting to purchase military-grade satellite modems and radios manufactured for the US military by US companies, which are barred from being exported to China under the US Arms Export Control Act.
US District Judge David Sam accepted Chen’s guilty plea in a federal court in Salt Lake City, Utah, and scheduled sentencing for October 19.
In a statement, the DOJ accused Chen of attempting to divert sensitive US military technologies to China, which could have been used against the US in the future.“These advanced technologies are a product of United States ingenuity and investment,” said John A. Eisenberg, US Assistant Attorney General for National Security.
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