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Chinese ship carrying armaments to Pak comes under US surveillance

US intelligence agencies are tracking a Chinese ship carrying weapons materials and electronics destined for Pakistan's major nuclear weapons laboratory, reports The Washington Times.

The arms materials include special metals and electronics used in the production of Chinese-designed anti-tank missiles made by the A Q Khan Research Laboratories -- the facility that produced the nuclear devices Pakistan set off last week.

The shipment has heightened concerns among some US officials that growing tension in South Asia could trigger a war, the daily adds.

President Bill Clinton huddled with his top advisers last morning to discuss talks in Geneva on the tension between India and Pakistan.

The daily quoted US government officials aware of the ship's movements having said the latest transfer is one of several troubling signs that China is continuing to ship weapons and related technology to countries of concern, contrary to the Clinton administration's assertions that Beijing is curbing such sales.

The official said, "The shipment is being closely monitored by military and intelligence satellites and aircraft."

"This shows the Chinese are continuing to sell weapons with little regard for their impact on the region," the daily quoted one official as having said. He asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the information. "China is acting as a force for destabilisation."

According to The Washington Times, the shipment was described as a "high-interest cargo" by US agencies involved in monitoring weapons transfers around the world because of the connection to Khan Research Laboratories in Kahuta, Pakistan.

The materials in question are part of a long-standing co-operation agreement between China and Pakistan to build high-technology anti-tank missiles, according to the officials who provided some details of intelligence reports on the matter.

The freighter is owned by Coso Tianji, part of the government-owned China Ocean Shipping Co, and is based in Tianjin, China. It left Shanghai on May 26 for Karachi, the officials said.

One official said the ship was near the Strait of Malacca yesterday. "This is part of continuing Chinese military assistance to the Pakistanis and is for long-term use of indigenous weapons production," said a second official.

The daily says China and Pakistan have been co-producing the anti-tank missiles for several years. The Chinese first produced the missile system in 1987. The metal and electronics are part of Pakistan's programme to build the Baktar Shikhan anti-tank missiles, a wire-guided missile that is virtually identical to China's Red Arrow 8 guided-missile weapon, the officials said.

The missiles are specially designed to penetrate thick armour on tanks or other armoured vehicles.

The daily recalls that the Khan Research Laboratories was the destination for a 1996 shipment of Chinese ring magnets. The magnets are special bearing used in centrifuges that enrich uranium for weapons fuel.

US officials said they do not believe the current Chinese shipment is related to Pakistan's nuclear arms programme, although details of the contents are incomplete.

The Red Arrow is made by the China North Industries Corp, or Norinco. Norinco officials were charged in 1996 with illegally shipping assault rifles into the United States.

The daily says China has been a major supplier of conventional and unconventional weapons and related material.

UNI

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