Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10HONGKONG300
2010-02-22 02:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Hong Kong
Cable title:  

EXTRANCHECK: POST SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: SOLAR ENERGY

Tags:  BMGT BEXP HK ETRD ETTC 
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VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHHK #0300 0530216
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220216Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9668
RHMFIUU/HQ BICE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS HONG KONG 000300 

USDOC FOR 532/OEA/ MCANNER
USDOC FOR 3132 FOR FCS/OIO REGIONAL DIRECTOR PATRICK SANTILLO
BICE FOR OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INVESTIGATIONS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BMGT BEXP HK ETRD ETTC
SUBJECT: EXTRANCHECK: POST SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: SOLAR ENERGY
INTERNATIONAL CO.

REF: A) BIS e-mail request dated February 3, 2010 (01210117)

UNCLAS HONG KONG 000300

USDOC FOR 532/OEA/ MCANNER
USDOC FOR 3132 FOR FCS/OIO REGIONAL DIRECTOR PATRICK SANTILLO
BICE FOR OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INVESTIGATIONS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BMGT BEXP HK ETRD ETTC
SUBJECT: EXTRANCHECK: POST SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: SOLAR ENERGY
INTERNATIONAL CO.

REF: A) BIS e-mail request dated February 3, 2010 (01210117)


1. Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is
prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act.


2. As per reftel A request and at the direction of the Office of
Enforcement Analysis (OEA) of the USDOC Bureau of Industry and
Security (BIS),Export Control Officer Philip Ankel (ECO) conducted
a post shipment verification (PSV) at Solar Energy International Co.
(Solar Energy). The items in question for this PSV are various
microprocessors exported to Solar Energy on or about September 24,

2009. According to information provided by OEA, these
microprocessors are likely classified under Export Control
Classification Number 3A991 and controlled for anti-terrorism
reasons, meaning that they can be shipped license free to virtually
all destinations and end-users worldwide without a license. The
exporter was Crown Micro International of Fremont, California.


3. According to the Hong Kong Companies Registry, Solar Energy
International Co., Limited was registered in 2001. It has the Hong
Kong equivalent of USD 1250 in share capital. Hong Kong Residents
Chu, Ying Kit and Poon, Kuk Man are listed as directors.


4. According to the company's web site (www.kukram.com),the
company specializes in the computer related peripherals business.
The company also markets its own brand of memory modules (kukram).
The company serves customers worldwide including in the Middle East.



5. On February 8, 2010, ECO and FCS Commercial Assistant Carrie
Chan visited the company at the address noted above and met with Mr.
Simon Chu (CEO) and his wife, Ms. Poon, Kuk Man (Director). Mr. Chu
was quite nervous about the visit and asked several times why the
ECO was visiting his company.


6. Mr. Chu provided an overview of the company. He noted that the
company ships to customers worldwide. Crown Micro (the exporter) is
a usual supplier and Solar Energy representatives met this company
at the CIBIT event in Germany. According to Mr. Chu, Solar Energy
does not sell to any of the embargoed countries (although he had
some difficulty naming them) and specifically never to Iran. He
noted that, as of late, there is a range of product supply coming
from Dubai because of the downturn in the economy there. ECO
surmises that the company used to sell more products to Dubai but no
longer sells as much in that direction.


7. As to the specific shipment in question, Mr. Chu provided
documentation confirming that some items had been sold to South Asia
Associates and picked up by Zeon Technology Limited (Mr. Chu stated
that this was done at the request of the purchaser). According to
the Hong Kong Companies Registry, Zeon Technology Limited's
directors include Boris Chtchourovski and Olga Smirnova. Other
items were sold and delivered to Pronet Group in Moscow
(www.pronetgroup.ru). The items for Pronet Group were sent to the
company at a Singapore address. Ms. Poon, Kuk Man stated that
Pronet consolidates its shipments in Singapore for shipment to
Russia. The direction that these items took to get to their
(apparent) final destination is somewhat unusual. This is the first
time that ECO has seen a shipment of electronics from the United
States bound for Russia that was routed through Hong Kong (and
Singapore). Mr. Chu and Ms. Poon were not aware of the end uses of
the items in question. A final set of products was reexported to
Hyde Shenzhen Century Technology Development Co., Ltd., a mainland
Chinese software development company.


8. Mr. Chu stated that he is keen to comply with U.S. export
controls as he will be traveling shortly to the United States. ECO
sent, by e-mail, additional information concerning U.S. export
controls to Mr. Chu.


9. Mr. Chu was, on the whole, open and forthcoming during the
meeting and provided the requested documentation. Based on the
information at hand, ECO can find no apparent violation associated
with these shipments.