Washington:
The US has imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies and one from Belarus for secretly supplying missile items for Pakistan's ballistic missile programs, including its long-range missile program, the State Department announced.
The names of the companies are Xi'an Longde Technology Development, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade and Granpect Co. Ltd from China and Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant from Belarus.
These entities “have engaged in activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery, including any efforts to manufacture, acquire, possess, to develop, to transport. transfer or use of such items by Pakistan,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Friday.
Mr. Miller said the US is committed to strengthening the global non-proliferation regime by taking action to disrupt procurement networks that support proliferation activities of concern.
China, an all-weather ally of Pakistan, is the main supplier of weapons and defense equipment to Islamabad's ambitious military modernization program.
The Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant in Belarus provided special vehicle chassis for Pakistan's long-range missile program.
Such chassis are used as launch support equipment for ballistic missiles by Pakistan's National Development Complex (NDC), which is responsible for the development of Missile Technology Control Regime Category (MTCR) I ballistic missiles, according to a State Department fact sheet.
China's Xi'an Longde Technology Development Company Limited supplied missile-related equipment, including a filament winding machine, to Pakistan's long-range missile program that the US said was intended for Pakistan's NDC.
Filament winding machines can be used to produce rocket motor housings.
Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd supplied rocket-related equipment to Pakistan's long-range missile program, including stir-welding equipment (which the United States believes could be used to manufacture propellant tanks used in space launch vehicles) and a linear accelerator system (which the United States believes could are used in the inspection of solid rocket engines).
Tianjin Creative's purchases were likely for Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), which develops and produces Pakistan's MTCR Category I ballistic missiles, the US State Department said.
Granpect Company collaborated with Pakistan's SUPARCO to provide equipment for testing large diameter rocket motors.
Granpect Co. also worked. Ltd. also to supply equipment for testing large diameter rocket motors to Pakistan's NDC.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Our staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)