America Imposes Sanctions on China-Based Network

The U.S. Treasury Department announced that "the United States imposed sanctions on a China-based network for assisting North Korea in developing its ballistic missile and space programs." It stated that six individuals and five companies involved in what is known as the "Xi Qianbi Network" are implicated in purchasing materials to support the programs, which violates several United Nations Security Council resolutions. The department clarified that North Korea relies on networks of foreign agents to procure materials and components from overseas sources used in its weapons of mass destruction development programs. It added that foreign companies procuring the necessary materials for the weapon programs repackaged them for shipment to North Korea, without disclosing the end-use of those materials to the manufacturers. The Treasury Department noted that Xi Qianbi is a Chinese citizen and a key intermediary in the network.