US imposes sanctions on Chinese, Pakistani firms for proliferation of nuclear missile tech

The US 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.

A statement said the US Department of State is designating the Beijing Research Institute of Automation for Machine Building Industry (RIAMB) as an ‘entity’ that worked with Pakistan’s National Development Complex (NDC) in providing nuclear missiles technology to India’s western neighbour.

An ‘entity’ faces sanctions. The Pak’s NDC – that received the technology is not listed as an ‘entity’.

A US exercised powers that target proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.

The statement said: “United States assesses the RIAMB is involved in the development and production of Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missiles – to procure equipment for testing of large diameter rocket motors, including the Shaheen-3 and Ababeel, but also potentially for larger systems”.

The Shaheen-3 and the Ababeel are nuclear-tipped missiles that Pakistan possess

Additionally, the United States is imposing sanctions under the missile sanctions laws that is Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) on three Chinese entities, one Chinese national and a Pakistani entity for ‘ballistic missile proliferation activities’.

The Chinese firms are Hubei Huachangda Intelligent Equipment Company, Universal Enterprise Limited, and Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited alias Lontek.

The Chinese individual is Luo Dongmei alias Steed Luo and Pakistani- entity is ‘Innovative Equipment’.

These sanctions are being imposed because these entities and individual knowingly transferred equipment and technology controlled under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

Pakistan is not a signatory to the MTCR. China has agreed to abide by MTCR terms, even as its application in 2004 to join the regime was    withheld over its secretive nuclear programme.

In June this year, the Sweden-based international think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released data on the global nuclear warhead stockpile saying it has increased.

“China added some 90 numbers to its arsenal and for the first time it has warheads on high operational alert”, the report said.

Pakistan possessed approximately 170 nuclear warheads as of January 2024—the same number as the previous year.

“The development of several new delivery systems and Pakistan’s growing accumulation of fissile material suggest that its nuclear weapon arsenal and fissile material stockpile are likely to continue to expand over the next decade,” the report said.

India has about 172 nuclear weapons.