Beijing's expected entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group next month coincides with Tuesday's visit to Beijing by US Vice President Dick Cheney.

China also attended as an observer for the first time a meeting in Paris in February of the Missile Technology Control Regime, another global institution aimed at preventing exports to countries outside the group's safeguards.

The newspaper quoted weapons experts as saying that the decision by China to sign up with the two bodies represents a major change for a country known for its long history of sales of missile and missile-related technologies overseas.

The United States regularly criticises and sanctions China for allegedly selling advanced missile technology to other countries.

China allegedly provided Pakistan with enriched uranium and a working bomb design in the 1980s, and the design was later sold to Libya and possibly North Korea and Iran, the report said.

WAR.WIRE