The State Department has recently announced that the US has imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies and one from Belarus.
These companies have been secretly supplying missile-applicable items for Pakistan’s ballistic missile programs, including its long-range missile program. T
he companies involved are Xi’an Longde Technology Development, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade, and Granpect Co. Ltd from China, and Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant from Belarus.
According to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, these entities have engaged in activities or transactions that contribute to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery by Pakistan.
The US is committed to strengthening the global nonproliferation regime and will take action to disrupt procurement networks supporting proliferation activities.
China has been a major supplier of arms and defense equipment to Pakistan’s military modernization program. The Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant in Belarus supplied special vehicle chassis to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program.
These chassis are used as launch support equipment for ballistic missiles developed by Pakistan’s National Development Complex.
China’s Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited supplied missile-related equipment, including a filament winding machine, to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program.
The US has stated that this equipment was destined for Pakistan’s National Development Complex and can be used to produce rocket motor cases.
According to the US state department, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd provided missile-related equipment to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program.
This equipment included stir welding equipment, which the United States believes can be utilized in the production of propellant tanks for space launch vehicles.
Additionally, they supplied a linear accelerator system, which the United States assesses can be used in the inspection of solid rocket motors.
It is likely that these procurements from Tianjin Creative were intended for Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), the organization responsible for developing and manufacturing Pakistan’s MTCR Category I ballistic missiles.
In a similar vein, Granpect Company collaborated with SUPARCO to furnish equipment for testing large-diameter rocket motors.
