State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. | Image Credit: AP
The State Department has announced that the US has imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies and one company from Belarus for supplying missile-capable materials to Pakistan’s ballistic missile programs, including its long-range missile program.
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 are “engaged in activities or transactions that may materially contribute or risk materially contributing to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery, including any attempt to manufacture, acquire, acquire, develop, transport, transfer or use such materials from Pakistan,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. Friday said.
Mr. Miller said the US is committed to strengthening the global non-proliferation regime by taking action to disrupt the procurement networks that support proliferation activities of concern.
China, Pakistan’s all-weather ally, is the main supplier of arms and defense equipment to Islamabad’s ambitious military modernization programme.
The Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant in Belarus has supplied specialized vehicle chassis for Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program.
Such a chassis is used by Pakistan’s National Development Complex (NDC) as launch support equipment for ballistic missiles, which is responsible for the development of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) Class I ballistic missiles, according to a State Department factsheet.
China’s Xian Longde Technology Development Company Ltd has supplied missile-related equipment, including a filament winding machine, to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program, which the US says is intended for Pakistan’s NDC.
Filament winding machines can be used to make rocket motor cases.
Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd supplied missile-related equipment to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program, including stir welding equipment (which the United States assesses for making propellant tanks used in space launch vehicles) and a linear acceleration system (which the United States assesses for use in the inspection of solid rocket motors). ).
Tianjin Creative’s purchases may have been intended for Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Commission (SUPARCO), which develops and produces Pakistan’s MTCR Class I ballistic missiles, the US State Department said.
The GranPect company worked with Pakistan’s SUPARCO to supply equipment for testing large-diameter rocket motors.
In addition, Granpect Co. Ltd also worked to supply equipment for testing large diameter rocket motors to Pakistan’s NDC.