The United States has recently imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies and one Belarusian firm for their involvement in providing missile-applicable items to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile endeavours, as confirmed by the State Department.
The companies targeted by the sanctions include Xi’an Longde Technology Development, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade, and Granpect Co Ltd from China, along with Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant from Belarus.
According to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, these entities have engaged in activities that significantly contribute to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, particularly in Pakistan. The US aims to disrupt procurement networks supporting such proliferation activities.
China, a long-standing ally of Pakistan, has historically been a major supplier of arms and defense equipment to bolster Islamabad’s military modernization efforts. The Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, on the other hand, supplied special vehicle chassis crucial for Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program.
State Department factsheets further revealed the specific contributions of these sanctioned entities. Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited, for instance, supplied missile-related equipment, including filament winding machines crucial for rocket motor case production, to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program.
Similarly, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd provided missile-related equipment, including stir welding equipment and a linear accelerator system, deemed crucial for propellant tank manufacturing and rocket motor inspection, respectively, for Pakistan’s missile program.
Granpect Company’s involvement extended to supplying equipment for testing large-diameter rocket motors, collaborating with Pakistan’s SUPARCO and NDC (National Development Complex) in this endeavor.
The sanctions underscore the US’s commitment to non proliferation efforts and its determination to disrupt illicit networks facilitating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
