Beijing has violated the consensus arrived at the 2010 NPT review conference on supply of nuclear technology, by transferring nuclear reactors to Pakistan. But still, China continues to hail the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) as the cornerstone of global non-proliferation regime.

The observation on China's supply of nuclear reactors to Pakistan, a country which is not under IAEA safeguards, comes from Arms Control Association, one of the leading authorities on nuclear weapons and disarmament.

The report says that the China's 2013 deal for the Chasma-3 reactor in Pakistan contradicts the consensus document of the 2010 NPT Review Conference, which "reaffirms that new supply arrangements" for the transfer of nuclear materials and technology should require, that the recipient to accept "IAEA full-scope safeguards and international legally-binding commitments not to acquire nuclear weapons". Islamabad has accepted neither.

"Despite progress on its export controls China continues to supply Pakistan with nuclear power reactors, despite objections that the sale of the reactors did not receive a consensus exemption from the NSG. Pakistan, which is neither an NPT member nor under full-scope IAEA safeguards, is therefore ineligible to receive such assistance under NSG rules," says the report by Arms Control Association.

"Beijing voluntarily follows the MTCR's export control guidelines. However, China has not adopted the full annex, which includes a common list of controlled items. A 2016 State Department compliance report on arms control found that Chinese entities continue to supply missile technologies to countries of concern," it says.

Despite the NSG membership and partial compliance with the MTCR, serious concerns remain over the Chinese government's ability to control the import and export of dual-use technologies, particularly for ballistic missile development.

China has earlier blocked India's membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) by stating that participation of a non-NPT signatory in the group will weaken the international non-proliferation regime.

By Premji