Li Fangwei (Chinese 李方伟, born 18 September 1972), is a Chinese entrepreneur and arms dealer. On April 28, 2014, he was prosecuted and wanted by the US government, saying that he was suspected of violating sanctions and regulations, using shell companies to enter the US financial system and providing Iran with technology related to ballistic missiles.
Li Fangwei is one of the few Chinese nationals on the FBI's Most Wanted list. In 2014, the U.S. State Department also offered a reward of up to $5 million, hoping that someone could provide clues to help arrest Li Fangwei or prove his guilt.
The charcoal plant he was in charge of also encountered protests from local people for allegedly illegally discharging and burying toxic waste, polluting the surrounding surface water and rivers. This practice is suspected to be a major factor in the apparent increase in birth defects and mortality near his factory, as well as exacerbating a host of other sanitation problems.
According to media reports, investigations have revealed that Fangwei was allegedly arrested in April 2019 for smuggling in
Dalian
Dalian () is a major sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city (after the provincial capital Shenyang) and the third-most populous city of Northeast China. Located on the ...
and has been imprisoned in the Dalian detention center since 2020.
Relations with the Chinese Government
It is reported that Li Fangwei used to rely on family connections to hold official positions in China, and was deeply supported by the People's Liberation Army because of his grandfather's relationship.
On April 30, 2014, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang stated at a regular press conference: "China firmly opposes the US imposing unilateral sanctions on Chinese companies and individuals by citing domestic laws. The relevant US practices will not help solve the problem.", and damage the non-proliferation cooperation between the two sides. I want to emphasize that the Chinese government attaches great importance to non-proliferation export control, and will seriously investigate and deal with any violations of China's non-proliferation laws and regulations. China has carried out non-proliferation law enforcement cooperation to solve it. China urges the US to stop its wrong practice of sanctioning Chinese companies and individuals and return to the correct track of non-proliferation cooperation.”
As the United States and China have not yet signed an extradition treaty, Li Fangwei may currently be under the protection of the Chinese government. Li Fangwei still runs several companies in Dalian and exports missile parts and technology to Iran.
[{{cite web , author = Daniel Liu , title = Karl Lee, where is he now? , publisher = King's College London , date = 2018-10-26 , accessdate = , url = https://projectalpha.eu/karl-lee-where-is-he-now/ , archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20190603211622/https://projectalpha.eu/karl-lee-where-is-he-now/ , archivedate = 2019-06-03]
See also
*
Weapon of mass destruction
*
List of weapons of mass destruction treaties
A variety of treaties and agreements have been enacted to regulate the use, development and possession of various types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Treaties may regulate weapons use under the customs of war (Hague Conventions, Geneva Pro ...
*
Nuclear proliferation
Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons, fissionable material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information to nations not recognized as " Nuclear Weapon States" by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Wea ...
*
Nuclear program of Iran
The nuclear program of Iran is an ongoing scientific effort by Iran to research nuclear technology that can be used to make nuclear weapons. Iran has several research sites, two uranium mines, a research reactor, and uranium processing facilit ...
*
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
References
External links
Entry on the most wanted list of the FBI
Chinese male criminals
1972 births
Living people