The U.S. State Department on Thursday imposed sanctions on a Chinese research institute and several companies it said were involved in supplying Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, according to a report by Reuters.
This announcement marks the sixth round of sanctions imposed by the U.S. on Chinese and Pakistani companies since November 2021. Earlier, in October 2023, three China-based companies were sanctioned for supplying missile-applicable items to Pakistan.
In the most recent sanctions, Washington targeted the Beijing Research Institute of Automation for Machine Building Industry and three China-based companies—Hubei Huachangda Intelligent Equipment Co, Universal Enterprise, and Xi’an Longde Technology Development Co—for supplying missile-related items to Pakistan.
Pakistan-based Innovative Equipment and a Chinese national were also sanctioned for knowingly transferring equipment under missile technology restrictions.
The U.S. sanctions enable the freezing of any U.S.-based assets held by the named entities, and prohibit U.S. citizens or anyone operating within the U.S. from doing business with them. The entities and individuals targeted will also face restrictions in accessing global markets tied to the U.S. financial system.
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said in a statement that the Beijing Research Institute had collaborated with Pakistan to procure equipment for testing rocket motors for Pakistan’s Shaheen-3 and Ababeel missile systems. The equipment could also potentially support the development of larger missile systems, Miller said.
“The United States will continue to act against proliferation and associated procurement activities of concern, wherever they occur,” Miller added. The U.S. asserts that its sanctions are aimed at preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), especially long-range missile systems.
The Chinese embassy in Washington responded to the sanctions, with spokesperson Liu Pengyu saying, “China firmly opposes unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that have no basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council.” Liu added that China would “firmly protect” the rights and interests of its companies and individuals.