It's true, $29 million for weapons for the new Iraqi army. This in the same company that most right-wingers were smearing Kerry over a visit in the 90's on a trade mission. As well as Clinton earlier:

note: CITIC is known as a front for the munitions manufacturer Poly Technologies Corp

The photo shows Kerry, an unnamed Chinese government official and Paul Marcus, the head of Boston Capital & Technology. Marcus also refused to provide details of the China trip, including the time and date, whether the senator took money for his services, or the identity of the Chinese officials with whom Kerry met. "I am not doing an interview with you, and please don't call me again," Marcus declared.

more on this here.

Continuing...

Poly Technologies was run by international arms dealer Wang Jun and his "princeling" friend, the powerful He Ping, son-in-law of long-time Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. The Rand Corporation noted that "Wang Jun is both director of CITIC and Chairman of Poly Group, the arms-trading company of the General Staff Department."

In 1996, Poly Chairman Wang Jun met with President Bill Clinton inside the White House with convicted Chinagate figure Charlie Trie, who donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the 1996 Clinton/Gore campaign from Red Chinese sources. The Democratic Party later returned much of this donated money.

(blaa blaa blaa)

John Kerry frequently has stated that he has had contacts with high-ranking officials of foreign governments. Yet, the Kerry campaign is refusing to answer any questions about the candidate's privately sponsored trade trip to China or his relationship with Marcus. But it would appear that the presidential candidate has many friends at high levels in Beijing. The Chinese official Internet news outlet of the People's Daily, official newspaper of the Communist Party of China, recently endorsed the senator from Massachusetts for president of the United States.

More on CITIC/Poly Technologies

While CITIC is reported by U.S. military authorities to be involved in the international sale of illegal arms it also is interested in obtaining advanced U.S. technology. The Boston Capital Website notes that the firm has been involved with the transfer of advanced U.S. space technology to China. Such references are viewed in the arms trade to have missile applications.

This company is known to provide arms to the world and also our cities.

A wholly-owned U.S. subsidary[sic] of Poly Technologies, Dynasty Holding Company of Atlanta, was charged in the March 18, 1996, seizure of 2,000 AK-47s illegally shipped from China into Oakland, Calif. Dynasty Holding Co. is now defunct but its president, Bao Ping “Robert” Ma, a former Chinese army general who's a fugitive believed to be in China, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) also was indicted.

But if the price is right....We'll take it!

The U.S. Army has approved the purchase of more than $29 million worth of weapons for the new Iraqi army from a Chinese state-owned company that's under indictment in California for trying to smuggle 2,000 AK-47 automatic rifles into the United States.

Army Lt. Col. Joe Yoswa, a Pentagon spokesman, said the Warren, Mich.-based U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, approved the contract with Poly Technologies to help equip the new Iraqi army after a check into the company’s background.

Poly Technologies of Beijing is to deliver 2,369 light and heavy machine guns, 14,653 AK-47 assault rifles and 72 million rounds of ammunition worth $29.3 million by Saturday, according to a Pentagon statement.

It isn't clear whether the deal, which comes as the Bush administration is pressing the European Union to maintain an embargo on high-tech arms sales to China, was discussed or approved by higher ranking officials at the State and Defense Departments. Hungary, Poland and Romania, all members of the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq could supply the same weapons. China opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Poly Technologies won the competitively bid $29.3 million contract to help equip the Iraqi army in February from The International Trading Establishment, a Jordan-based consortium that the U.S. Army selected to supply Iraq’s fledgling security forces with as much as $174.4 million worth of radios, night vision equipment, weapons and ammunition.