The Washington Post(WP) reported on Thursday that Chinese companies are continuously supplying technologies and components to North Korea’s missile development program.
 
The report, entitled “Kim Jong-un’s rockets are getting an important boost – from China,” is based on interviews with incumbent and former U.S. and UN officials and independent weapons experts.
 
The American newspaper cited the officials and experts as saying it is unclear whether the Chinese government tacitly approved the exports despite its official denial, or is simply unable or unwilling to police the thousands of Chinese companies that account for more than 80 percent of all foreign goods imported by North Korea each year.
 
They said, despite China’s “public” efforts to rein in North Korea’s provocative behavior, Chinese companies continue to act as enablers, supplying the isolated communist regime with technology and hardware that allow its missiles to take flight.
 
A UN report released last month concluded that restricted products were shipped privately to the North by Chinese companies as recently as 18 months ago.
 
The report also said key components of the Unha-3, the rocket used in the launch of the North’s Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite in February of last year, were foreign imports. It said Chinese companies were involved in the supply and transaction of those components to the North, but remained silent when contacted by UN officials over the speculations. 

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