The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on three companies based in China and one in Belarus for supplying missile-applicable items to Pakistan's ballistic missile programs, including its long-range missile program.
Initiating the stern action against the four entities based in China and Belarus, which include--Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, Xi'an Longde Technology Development Company Limited, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co. Ltd., and Belarus's Granpect Co. Ltd., the US State Department said the entities target proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.
The State Department said the action marks the US's commitment to strengthening the global nonproliferation regime by taking action to disrupt procurement networks supporting proliferation activities of concern.
It said, "The 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, develop, transport, or use such items, by Pakistan."
Further, elaborating on the details of supplying the missile applicable items, the State Department informed China has been the main supplier of arms and defence equipment to Islamabad's military modernization programme. China's Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited has supplied missile-related equipment, including a filament winding machine, to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile programme, while Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co. Ltd. has supplied stir welding equipment and a linear accelerator system. The Granpect Company Limited based in China has worked with Pakistan’s SUPARCO to supply equipment for testing of large diameter rocket motors, the State Department Factsheet said.
It added, "Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant has worked to supply special vehicle chassis to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic 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."
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