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9/6/11 (AEIN) The Chinese government has rejected recent claims made by the transitional administration created by anti-Gadhafi rebels in the North African nation of Libya. The rebels accused China of obstructing the release of funds held by the Gadhafi government and possibly supplying Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi's forces with various weapons, Chinese state radio reported early Tuesday.
Beijing responded that the Chinese government does not entirely oppose releasing the frozen bank accounts for use by the transitional authority. However, it advocates setting up a system to monitor use of the funds. Various banks, particularly in European countries, froze accounts held by the Gadhafi government earlier this year. The rebels have demanded access to the funds in these accounts.
China also denied that it sold weapons to the Libyan military during the ongoing war between rebel and pro-Gadhafi forces. However, it left open the possibility that Chinese companies may have independently sold the arms, saying that it would "investigate the claims." Libyan rebels have suggested that Chinese manufacturers may have sold the weapons and delivered them through neighboring Algeria.
If Chinese companies did sell weapons to the Libyan military during the war, it would violate the U.N. Security Council resolution which authorized sanctions. However, Western countries such as France and Britain also face accusations of violating the resolution by supplying weapons to rebel forces and expanding military action beyond the original "no fly zone" approved by the Security Council.
Chinese diplomatic relations with the Libyan rebels continue to worsen despite China's willingness to recognize the rebel-established transitional government. Rioters attacked Chinese businesses in Libya early in the rebellion. China did not veto the U.N. resolution to establish a "no fly zone" but its political leaders and state-run media offered no support for the rebels.