US slaps sanctions on Chinese entities for supporting Pakistan’s missile program

State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller announced that sanctions have been levied against the Beijing Research Institute of Automation for Machine Building Industry (RIAMB), which has collaborated with Pakistan’s National Development Complex (NDC).

The sanctions are under the missile sanctions laws, specifically the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA). RIAMB was involved in developing and producing Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missiles, including the Shaheen-3 and Ababeel, and procured equipment for testing large-diameter rocket motors.

The statement also revealed that sanctions were imposed on three additional PRC-based entities and one PRC individual. The sanctioned entities are Hubei Huachangda Intelligent Equipment Company, Universal Enterprise Limited, and Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited (also known as Lontek). The individual sanctioned is Luo Dongmei (also known as Steed Luo). They were penalised for transferring equipment and technology controlled under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) Annex to a non-MTCR country, supporting MTCR Category I missile programmes.

Furthermore, the US has sanctioned a Pakistan-based entity, Innovative Equipment, under the same missile sanctions laws. The statement emphasised that the US will persist in countering proliferation and related procurement activities wherever they occur.

In October of the previous year, the US had similarly targeted three China-based companies — General Technology Limited, Beijing Luo Luo Technology Development Co Ltd, and Changzhou Utek Composite Company Ltd. — for supplying missile-related materials and machinery to Pakistan. These sanctions were related to the supply of brazing materials for ballistic missile rocket engines, combustion chamber production, and machinery for solid-propellant rocket motors.