US imposes sanctions on three Chinese companies and one Belarusian company for supplying Pakistan with ballistic missile parts

US imposes sanctions on three Chinese companies and one Belarusian company for supplying Pakistan with ballistic missile parts

The China-based Granpect Co. Ltd, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade, and Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant are the entities in question.

US imposes sanctions on three Chinese companies and one Belarusian company for supplying Pakistan with ballistic missile parts.

According to the State Department, the US has placed sanctions on three businesses located in China and one in Belarus for providing parts relevant to missiles to Pakistan's ballistic missile program, which includes its long-range missile program.

The China-based Granpect Co. Ltd, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade, and Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant are the entities in question.

A spokesperson for the State Department, Matthew Miller, stated on Friday that these organizations "have engaged in activities or transactions that may have materially contributed to, or pose a risk of materially supplying to, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their techniques of delivery, including all attempts to manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport, transfer, or use such items by Pakistan."

According to Miller, US efforts to disrupt procurement networks that support proliferation activities of concern is part of the country's commitment to fortifying the global nonproliferation framework.

China, Pakistan's all-weather partner, has been the primary provider of weapons and defense hardware to Islamabad's military modernization initiative.

Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program received unique vehicle chassis from Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant.

According to a State Department Factsheet, Pakistan's National Development Complex (NDC), which is in charge of developing Missile Technology Control Regime Category (MTCR) I ballistic missiles, uses such chassis as launch support equipment for ballistic missiles.

We determine that Xi'an Longde Technology Development Company Limited supported Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program, which was intended for NDC, with missile-related technology, including a filament winding machine.

Rocket motor casings may be made using filament winding machines.

The long-range ballistic missile program in Pakistan received equipment related to missiles from Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd. This equipment included stir welding equipment, which the US believes can be used to make propellant tanks for space launch vehicles, and a linear accelerator system, which the US believes can be used to inspect solid rocket motors.

The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), which develops and manufactures Pakistan's MTCR Category I ballistic missiles, was most likely the recipient of Tianjin Creative's purchases.

Granpect Company supplied large-diameter rocket motor testing equipment in collaboration with SUPARCO of Pakistan.

Furthermore, Granpect Co. Ltd. endeavored to provide Pakistan's NDC with apparatus for evaluating large-diameter rocket motors.