The United States has imposed sanctions on three Chinese businesses that it claimed on Friday had supplied Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme with materials relevant to missiles.
The companies were named as General Technology Limited, Beijing Luo Luo Technology Development Co Ltd, and Changzhou Utek Composite Company Ltd in a statement released by the US State Department.
The U.S. claimed Beijing Luo Luo had worked to supply mandrels and other machinery that can be used in the production of solid-propellant rocket motors, while General Technology had worked to supply brazing materials used to join components in ballistic missile rocket engines and in the production of combustion chambers.
According to the statement, Changzhou Utek Composite, the third company, has been engaged since 2019 in the provision of D-glass fibre, quartz fabric, and high silica cloth, all of which find use in missile systems.
“Today’s actions demonstrate that the United States will continue to act against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery, and associated procurement activities of concern, wherever they occur,” stated the statement.
Requests for response were not immediately answered by Changzhou Utek Composite or the Chinese embassy in Washington. Commenting on the other two businesses was not possible right away.