U.S. intelligence agencies are tracking a Chinese ship 
                                         carrying weapons materials and electronics destined for 
                                      Pakistan's major nuclear weapons laboratory. 
                                           The arms materials include special metals and electronics 
                                      used in the production of Chinese-design anti-tank missiles 
                                      made by the A.Q. Khan Research Laboratories -- the facility 
                                      that produced the nuclear devices Pakistan set off last week. 
                                           The shipment has heightened concerns among some U.S. 
                                      officials that growing tensions in South Asia could trigger a war. 
                                           President Clinton huddled with his top advisers yesterday 
                                      morning to discuss talks in Geneva on the tensions between 
                                      India and Pakistan. Both exploded nuclear devices last month, 
                                      triggering new fears of a nuclear and missile arms race. 
                                           India and Pakistan have been engaged in frequent military 
                                      skirmishes along the disputed border in Kashmir, including 
                                      artillery exchanges. 
                                           U.S. government officials aware of the ship's movements 
                                      said the latest transfer is one of several troubling signs that 
                                      China is continuing to ship weapons and related technology to 
                                      countries of concern, contrary to Clinton administration 
                                      assertions that Beijing is curbing such sales. 
                                           The officials said the shipment is being closely monitored by 
                                      military and intelligence satellites and aircraft. 
                                           "This shows the Chinese are continuing to sell weapons with 
                                      little regard for their impact on the region," said one official who 
                                      asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the 
                                      information. "China is acting as a force for destabilization." 
                                           The shipment was described as a "high-interest cargo" by 
                                      U.S. agencies involved in monitoring weapons transfers around 
                                      the world because of the connection to Khan Research 
                                      Laboratories in Kahuta, Pakistan. 
                                           The materials in question are part of a long-standing 
                                      cooperation agreement between China and Pakistan to build 
                                      high-technology anti-tank missiles, according to the officials, 
                                      who provided some details of intelligence reports on the 
                                      matter. 
                                           The freighter is owned by Cosco Tianjin, part of the 
                                      government-owned China Ocean Shipping Co. (Cosco), and is 
                                      based in Tianjin, China. 
                                           It left Shanghai May 26 for Karachi, Pakistan, the officials 
                                      said. One official said the ship was near the Strait of Malacca 
                                      yesterday. 
                                           "This is part of continuing Chinese military assistance to the 
                                      Pakistanis and is for long-term use of indigenous weapons 
                                      production," said a second official. 
                                           China and Pakistan have been co-producing the anti-tank 
                                      missiles for several years. The Chinese first produced the 
                                      missile system in 1987. 
                                           The metal and electronics are part of Pakistan's program to 
                                      build the Baktar Shikhan anti-tank missiles, a wire-guided 
                                      missile that is virtually identical to China's Red Arrow 8 
                                      guided-missile weapon, the officials said. 
                                           The missiles are specially designed to penetrate thick armor 
                                      on tanks or other armored vehicles. 
                                           Khan Research Laboratories was the destination for a 1996 
                                      shipment of Chinese ring magnets. The magnets are special 
                                      bearings used in centrifuges that enrich uranium for weapons 
                                      fuel. 
                                           U.S. officials said they do not believe the current Chinese 
                                      shipment is related to Pakistan's nuclear arms program, 
                                      although details of the contents are incomplete. 
                                           The Red Arrow is made by the China North Industries 
                                      Corp., or Norinco. Norinco officials were charged in 1996 
                                      with illegally shipping assault rifles into the United States. 
                                           China has been a major supplier of conventional and 
                                      unconventional weapons and related material. 
                                           Intelligence officials disclosed last week that Pakistan has 
                                      M-11 missiles from China and may have nuclear warheads for 
                                      the missiles. It was the first time the presence of the M-11 has 
                                      been acknowledged. Earlier, the State Department said there 
                                      was not enough evidence. Under U.S. anti-proliferation laws, 
                                      the deployments require that sanctions be imposed on both 
                                      China and Pakistan. 
                                           U.S. officials have said they are looking into whether China 
                                      provided technology and equipment for Pakistan's new 
                                      925-mile range Ghauri missile, which was flight-tested for the 
                                      first time in April. 
                                           In addition to selling weapons to Pakistan, China has sold 
                                      advanced C-802 anti-ship cruise missiles to Iran and also sent 
                                      missile components to Syria. Chinese companies also have 
                                      provided nuclear technology and missile equipment to Iran, 
                                      according to U.S. intelligence reports. 
                                           Chinese companies also were sanctioned by the United 
                                      States for selling chemical weapons materials to Iran. 
                                           The Clinton administration has been trying to get China to 
                                      halt its ballistic missile sales. Besides Pakistan and China, other 
                                      recent customers for Chinese ballistic missiles include Egypt, 
                                      Indonesia, Libya, Syria and Turkey, according to U.S. officials.