Arms-export cases can depend on such seemingly minor details as what constitutes an exact copy of a restricted drawing, or what constitutes information extracted from a restricted drawing, said Clif Burns, an expert lawyer on the topic from the Washington law firm Powell Goldstein. He said Justice Department prosecutors win dozens of such cases every year.

"A case about sending drawings to a restricted overseas partner is usually not a frivolous claim on the part of the government," Burns said. "It makes arms-export lawyers nervous when their clients just talk to potential Chinese partners."

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