BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK ON

UNCLAS HONG KONG 002215 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC BX TH TW HK SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK ON APPLICATION 050198982 REF: A. SECSTATE 119190 ¶B. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 00282 ¶1. (SBU) Per reftel A request, post conducted a pre-license end-use check on Foreign Consignee Sino Technology Co. Ltd. Post determined that Sino Technology does not have a true physical presence in Hong Kong. Since Sino Technology does not have a true physical presence in Hong Kong and appears to be using a business service provider for a Hong Kong address/phone number/fax number, post defers to AIT Taipei for an assessment of the reliability of foreign consignee Long Sion Corp AKA Sino Technology Corp. to be a recipient of USML items. ¶2. (SBU) Post notes that reftel A request contained incomplete contact information for Sino Technology in Hong Kong since the contact information included only the street address of the office (582-592 Nathan Road) and the name of the shopping center (Sino Centre),but no unit / office / flat / room number. Moreover, the phone number included with the Hong Kong contact information is a Taiwan mobile phone number. Post Blue Lantern Coordinator (BLC) visited the Sino Centre on November 24 and determined there was no office for Sino Technology. Post's Economic Specialist also called the Sino Centre management office and the operator said Sino Technology did not have an office there. ¶3. (SBU) Post Economic Specialist then called the Taiwan mobile phone and spoke with Mr. Charlie Chen, who said he was the responsible person for Sino Technology in Hong Kong. Mr. Chen said he was in Taiwan and would not be able to meet BLC in Hong Kong. Mr. Chen confirmed the end user for the transaction was Thailand Armed Forces Security Center and said a Thai company was also involved in the deal. Mr. Chen provided his e-mail address: Charliechen960(atsign)gmail.com. Mr. Chen could not recall the full address of his company in Hong Kong, but said it was somewhere on Nathan Road. Mr. Chen also said Sino Technology had an office in Taiwan near Taoyuan Airport called Long Sion Corporation, confirming information in reftel A. When Post Economic Specialist asked why Mr. Chen chose a Hong Kong company rather than a Taiwan company as the importer for this shipment, Mr. Chen said it is not convenient to do this business in Taiwan. ¶4. (SBU) Post BLC sent Mr. Chen an e-mail on November 25 requesting Sino Technology's registered address in Hong Kong along with the Hong Kong company registry number to assist in local due diligence. Mr. Chen responded on November 27 with additional contact information and scanned copies of two documents related to Sino Technology. Additional contact information included: e-mail: tomachi(atsign)ms38.hinet.net; mobile phone: 886-988-387863; China mobile phone: 139-22520820; skype: luckycharlie; Long Sion Corp phone: 886-3-2160030; Long Sion Corp fax: 886-3-2150420; Long Sion Corp website: www.longsion.com.tw. The two documents included a Certificate of Incorporation of International Business Company in Brunei Darussalam for Sino Technology, containing information detailed per reftel B; and contact information for the company in Hong Kong, including the full Hong Kong office contact information: Room 804, Sino Centre, 582-592 Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Phone: 852-2384-0332; Fax: 852-2771-7211. Post BLC provided this contact information to AIT Taipei BLC on November 30 to assist in AIT's efforts to contact Mr. Chen. ¶5. (SBU) Post Economic Specialist called the listed phone number and found it belonged to a business service provider called Power Point International Company Ltd. Local research shows the company provides corporate secretarial service, business management and consulting services, corporate management, and investment advisory service. An internet search using the address and phone number for Sino Technology yielded over a dozen other companies with the same address and phone number presumably using Power Point's business services. ¶6. (SBU) Since Sino Technology does not have a true physical presence in Hong Kong and appears to be using a business service provider for a Hong Kong address/phone number/fax number, post defers to AIT Taipei for an assessment of the reliability of foreign consignee Long Sion Corp AKA Sino Technology Corp. to be a recipient of USML items. MARUT