China denied Thursday that it sold nuclear-capable M-11 missiles to Pakistan, after the U.S. State Department expressed concern about newspaper reports of such a sale.
The Washington Times reported Wednesday that U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded for the first time that Pakistan has a strategic nuclear capability.Such a finding could lead to economic sanctions against China and Pakistan, but State Department spokes-man Nicholas Burns said Wed-nesday there is no confirmation the missile transfer took place.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Shen Guofang told reporters at a regular media briefing that "reports on the so-called Chinese export of M-11 missiles to Pakistan are entirely groundless."
"In the past, China has never exported such missiles to Pakistan and it will not do so in the future," Shen said. "Nor will China ever export such missiles to any other country in the future."
The Washington Post reported in July that U.S. officials believed Pakistan had M-11 missiles stored at an air base west of Lahore.