LOS ANGELES : Two men were arrested in California and charged with illegally exporting to China thermal-imaging cameras, a national security controlled item, the Justice Department (DOJ) said Wednesday.

The US Attorney's office in Los Angeles said Sam Ching Sheng Lee, 63, and his nephew Charles Yu Hsu Lee, 31, were charged under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and face up to 25 years in federal prison if convicted.

Charles Lee is a native of China and Ching Lee is a native of Taiwan, the DOJ said in a statement.

The two men are suspected of exporting thermal-imaging cameras to China from 2002-2007, without a license and in circumvention of export laws, through MBA, an import/export business located in Hacienda Heights, California,

"Thermal-imaging cameras are controlled for export to China by the Department of Commerce for national security and regional stability reasons because of their use in a wide variety of military and civilian applications," DOJ said.

US Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell recently accused China of aggressive spying for sensitive US military technology.

- AFP /ls