ISLAMABAD: China has debunked Indian media claims of seizing industrial autoclave seized from the Chinese ship Da Cui Yun that was being shipped to Pakistan that could be used for the “manufacture of very long-range ballistic missiles or satellite launch rockets” suggesting ‘nuclear proliferation’ between China and Pakistan.
When contacted, Zhao Lijian, a spokesman of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Pakistan Today that China had noted the Indian media claims.
“We have noted the relevant (Indian media) reports. The Pakistan bound merchant vessel from China was detained by India, but the autoclave on the ship that India claimed to be material for ballistic missiles is neither military supplies nor dual-use items under non-proliferation and export control,” he said.
After seeking the information, Zhao Lijian said that China believes that the seized item is “actually a heat treatment furnace shell system”, produced by a private company in China.
“This is not for military use and it is not a dual-use item under the non-proliferation and export control,” he said.
He said the Chinese merchant ship and its owner had also declared this item truthfully beforehand with the Indian authorities. “So there is no concealment and forced declaration”.
Reports said the ship bearing Hong Kong flag was detained by Customs Kandla Port in Gujarat while en-route to Port Qasim, Karachi on February 3. The cargo of the Chinese ship has been offloaded and kept in a godown at the port.
The spokesman said that as a responsible major country, China faithfully fulfills its international non-proliferation obligations and commitments.
“We have learned that the cargo involved is actually a heat-treating furnace shell system made by a private Chinese company. It is by no means a piece of military equipment or a dual-use item covered by China’s non-proliferation export control regime,” he said.
Zhao Lijian added that the Chinese commercial ship and owner of the cargo have declared the item truthfully beforehand with the Indian authorities in charge.
“So there is no concealment or false declaration,” he asserted.
It merits mention that Indian media report alleged that experts at India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had confirmed that the industrial autoclave allegedly seized from the Chinese ship Da Cui Yun can be used for the “manufacture of very long-range ballistic missiles or satellite launch rockets”.
Indian officials also alleged that India’s national security authorities could notify the UN pursuant to relevant Security Council legal instruments to expose the nuclear proliferation nexus between China and Pakistan.
