China constant supplier of N-products to Pak: Study

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The study published by the Centre for NonProliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies has come up with fresh details about how China helped Pakistan become a significant nuclear and missile power in South Asia.

US intelligence agencies said the study had reported, as early as 1983, that Beijing had by then transferred a complete nuclear weapon design to Islamabad, along with enough weapons-grade uranium for two nuclear weapons.

In 1986, China concluded a comprehensive nuclear cooperation agreement with Pakistan and in the same year, they began assisting Islamabad with the enrichment of weapons-grade uranium. China also reportedly transferred enough tritium gas to Pakistan for 10 nuclear weapons. In 1989, China allegedly involved Pakistani scientists in a nuclear test at its Lopnur test site. In 1994-95 5000 China sold ring magnets to a Q. Khan research lab at Kahuta which were used in gas centrifuges to make weapons-grade enriched uranium. The destination of the magnets, the research lab, is not subject to International Atomic Energy safeguards and is believed to be involved with Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme.

China has also routinely supplied Pakistan heavy water (D20) which was needed, both for safeguarding Kanupp facility as well as for operating some reactors like the Khushab facility, to be used for producing plutonium for nuclear weapons.

Beijing also sold a special industrial furnace for the Khushab facility in 1996 and Chinese scientists were reportedly in Pakistan to help install the furnace, the study said, adding the furnace can be used to melt uranium into the shape of a nuclear bomb core besides having civilian applications.

In 1983, China supplied Pakistan the complete design of a nuclear weapon - a 25 kiloton nuclear bomb, possibly a Chic-4. China reportedly reached a deal with Pakistan to supply heavy water to the Kanupp facility but the deal was delayed due to concerns that it might be diverted to the nearby unmanned facility. For the Chashma pressurized water reactor (300 mw), under International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) safeguards, China supplied auxiliary equipment, including heaters, condensers, and water tanks in 1996. China also exported a power plant computer system in 1997 but discussions for Chinese sale of a second facility for the Chashma site were delayed over financing arrangements (1995-96). The Parr-3 research reactor (27 kw) at Rawalpindi, under IAEA safeguards, was built and designed with Chinese assistance in 1989, the study said. The study also gives details of Chinese exports of missiles, components and related technologies to Pakistan. China provided ballistic missiles and launchers, up to 30 M-11/DF11 missiles to Pakistan's Sargodha air force base near Lahore in 1992 and M11 transporter-erector-launchers in 1991. It exported cruise missiles Hy-1, Hy-2, FL-1 and FL-2 and helped develop Pakistan's indigenous ballistic missiles Hatf-1 Hatf-2 (similar to M-11), Hatf-3 (similar to M-9) or Pakistani designation for M-11, follow-on to Hatf-3 (Hatf-M) and Anza surface-to-air missile.