Washington: China has broken its pledge not to help any country, including Pakistan to build missiles to deliver nuclear weapons, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) said in a semi-annual report to Congress.

In its report on the acquisition of technology relating to weapons of mass destruction and advanced conventional munitions, the CIA said, "Beijing on several occasions has pledged not to sell missile technology control regime (MTCR) category I systems (key systems), but has not recognised the regime's key technology annex."

"In November 2000, China committed not to assist, in any way, any country in the development of ballistic missiles that could be used to deliver nuclear weapons, and to enact at an early date a comprehensive missile-related export control system."

But Chinese entities continued to provide Pakistan with missile-related technical and material assistance during the reporting period (the first six months of 2002). Pakistan has been moving toward domestic serial production of solid-propellant short- range ballistic missiles with the help of Chinese entities, the report said.

Pakistan also needs continued Chinese entity assistance to support development of solid propellant medium range ballistic missiles. In addition, firms in China have provided dual-use missile-related items, raw materials and/or assistance to several other countries of proliferation concern – such as Iran, Libya and, to a lesser extent, North Korea.

The CIA says China may also have broken its pledge not to assist any country in the development of nuclear weapons, by assisting Pakistan after making the pledge.

China, says the CIA, "made bilateral pledges to the United States that go beyond its 1992 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) commitment not to assist any country in the acquisition or development of nuclear weapons. For example, in May 1996, Beijing pledged that it would not provide assistance to non-safeguarded nuclear facilities.

"We are concerned that some interactions between Chinese and Iranian entities may run counter to Beijing's expressed bilateral commitments to the United States," says the CIA.

Since 1997, the CIA recalls, the US has imposed numerous sanctions against Chinese entities for providing material support to the Iranian chemical weapons programme. Evidence during the current reporting period continues to show that Chinese firms still provide dual-use chemical weapon-related production equipment and technology to Iran.

China, says the CIA, remains a primary supplier of advanced conventional weapons to Pakistan and Iran and other countries. Beijing and Islamabad have also negotiated the sale of an additional 40-F7 fighters for delivery to Pakistan.

PTI