US imposes sanctions on suppliers to Pakistan's ballistic missile programme

The US State Department imposed sanctions on China-based firms, for their supply to Pakistan's ballistic missile program under the missile sanctions laws on Thursday.

"The Department of State is taking action against five entities and one individual that have been involved in the proliferation of ballistic missiles and controlled missile equipment and technology. Specifically, the Department of State is designating the Beijing Research Institute of Automation for Machine Building Industry (RIAMB) pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a press statement.

Notably, RIAMB has worked with Pakistan's National Development Complex (NDC), -which the United States assesses is involved in the development and production of Pakistan's long-range ballistic missiles.

"Additionally, the United States is imposing sanctions under the missile sanctions laws (i.e., the Arms Export Control Act [AECA] and the Export Control Reform Act [ECRA]) on three PRC-based entities, one PRC individual, and a Pakistani entity for ballistic missile proliferation activities: PRC-based firms Hubei Huachangda Intelligent Equipment Company, Universal Enterprise Limited, and Xi'an Longde Technology Development Company Limited (aka Lontek); PRC individual Luo Dongmei (aka Steed Luo); and Pakistani-based entity Innovative Equipment," the press statement read further.

The State Department spokesperson further added that the US 'will continue to act' against proliferation and associated procurement activities of concern, wherever they occur.

"These sanctions are being imposed because these entities and individual knowingly transferred equipment and technology controlled under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) Annex, in support of MTCR Category I missile programs, to a non-MTCR country," he said in a statement.

The US had designated four entities targeting proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery previously as well.

These entities too had supplied missile-applicable items to Pakistan's ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile program.

The entities included Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, which has worked to supply special vehicle chassis to Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program. It further imposed sanctions on three Chinese entities, including, "Xi'an Longde Technology Development Company Limited", "Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd" and "Granpect Company Limited."

Emphasising the US imposing sanctions on suppliers to Pakistan's Ballistic Missile Program, US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel had, in April said, "We're going to continue to disrupt and take actions against proliferation networks and concerning weapons of mass destruction procurement activities wherever they may occur...Just let me say, broadly, we advise anyone considering business deals with Iran to be aware of the potential risk of sanctions. But ultimately, the government of Pakistan can speak to their own foreign policy pursuits."

Responding to a question on the reason behind these sanctions, Patel while addressing the presser, stated "The sanctions were made because these were entities that were proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and the means of their delivery."

He said that these entities were based in China and Belarus.