Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that, according to U.S. Cable News Network (CNN), U.S. intelligence agencies said that Saudi Arabia is actively developing domestically produced ballistic missiles with the assistance of China. This development may cause a major chain reaction throughout the Middle East. The latest satellite images show that Saudi Arabia is currently manufacturing missiles. At a minimum one site is funded by China. Weapons experts at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies expressed the belief that, considering the facility was built with China’s assistance and new intelligence assessments show Saudi Arabia has recently purchased sensitive ballistic missile technology from China, China may have designed the missiles made there. Sources familiar with the matter said that U.S. officials from multiple agencies, including the White House National Security Council (NSC), have been informed in recent months that classified intelligence has shown that China and Saudi Arabia have conducted multiple large-scale transfers of sensitive ballistic missile technology. Both the NSC and the CIA declined to comment on this piece. If Saudi Arabia successfully develops and manufactures missiles, Iran will be unlikely to agree to stop manufacturing missiles. It will also become more difficult for the Biden administration to limit Iran’s ambitions to manufacture nuclear weapons.
Source: Lianhe Zaobao, December 24, 2021
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/china/story20211224-1226128