US imposes sanctions on 3 Chinese, 1 Belarus firms for providing ballistic missile components to Pakistan

The US Department of State has imposed sanctions on three China-based companies and one from Belarus for supplying missile-applicable items for Pakistan's ballistic missile programme.

China, an all-weather ally of Pakistan, has been the main supplier of arms and defence equipment to Islamabad's military modernisation programme.

The US has imposed sanctions on China'-based Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd, and Granpect Company Limited. The Department of State has also imposed sanctions on Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, who has worked to supply special vehicle chassis to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program.

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Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited, supplied missile-related equipment, including a filament winding machine, to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile programme that we assess was destined for NDC.

Filament winding machines can be used to produce rocket motor cases.

Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd supplied missile-related equipment to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile programme, including stir welding equipment (which the United States assesses can be used to manufacture propellant tanks used in space launch vehicles), and a linear accelerator system (which the United States assesses can be used in the inspection of solid rocket motors).

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Tianjin Creative’s procurements were likely destined for Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), which develops and produces Pakistan’s MTCR Category I ballistic missiles.

Granpect Company worked with Pakistan's SUPARCO to supply equipment for testing large-diameter rocket motors.

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Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant supplied special vehicle chassis to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile programme.

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 missile, the US State Department said.