Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

The NPT PrepCom 2003: Acronym Special Coverage

Nuclear Disarmament (Cluster 1: Article VI)

Statement by China, April 30

'Statement by the Chinese Delegation to the 2nd PrepCom for 2005 NPT RevCon on Nuclear Disarmament and Reduction of the Danger of Nuclear War, 30 April 2003, Geneva'; Chinese Mission to the UN in Geneva, http://www.china-un.ch/eng/index.html.

The progress in nuclear disarmament hinges upon global strategic balance and stability as well as undiminished security for all. To pursue a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, put in place a fair and rational international political and economic order will create a favorable condition for nuclear disarmament. At the same time, China holds that under the current situation, preserving multilateralism and opposing unilateralism represent the vital means to safeguard and promote international arms control and disarmament process, in particular nuclear disarmament.

With regard to nuclear disarmament, the nuclear-weapon States possessing the largest and the most advanced nuclear arsenals bear special and primary responsibility. China welcomes the signing of the Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Strategic Offensive Reductions, also known as the Moscow Treaty. We believe that the reduction of nuclear weapons should be carried out in accordance with the principles of being effectively verifiable, irreversible and legally binding, so as to achieve a genuine reduction and destruction of nuclear warheads and their means of delivery. Any nuclear disarmament measures, including various interim measures, should follow the principles of maintaining global strategic stability and undiminished security for all in a way that is conducive to enhancing international peace and security.

It is China's belief that nuclear weapons should not be aimed at any country, nor should any state be listed as nuclear strike target. The threshold for using nuclear weapons should not be lowered. The nuclear-weapon States should constantly reduce the role of nuclear weapons in their respective national security policies thus providing impetus for nuclear disarmament.

China is deeply concerned over the growing tendency towards introducing weapons into outer space. Should it go unchecked, the global strategic balance and stability will be harmed, the nuclear disarmament process be hampered subsequently. Therefore, it is an urgent and real task for the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva (CD) to negotiate and conclude relevant international legal instrument(s) against the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space.

As a nuclear weapon State, China has never shielded away from its responsibility in nuclear disarmament. China has, with its own action, made unique contribution to international nuclear disarmament cause.

China has all along advocated a complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. China has, ever since coming into possession of nuclear weapons, undertaken unconditionally not to be the first to use nuclear weapons and not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free zones. China has consistently urged all nuclear-weapon States to confirm the aforementioned commitments in a legal form. China has always exercised utmost restraint towards developing nuclear weapons, kept its nuclear arsenal at the minimum level only for self-defense. China has never been in any nuclear arms race, nor has it deployed any nuclear weapons outside of its territory.

China firmly believes that a comprehensive ban of nuclear test is an important step in the process towards the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. China supports an early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). It is committed to its ratification at an early date, and supports and participates in the preparatory work for the CTBTO with concrete actions. Under a program of work agreed by all parties, China supports the CD, according to the mandate of the "Shannon Report", to begin negotiation on a multilateral, non-discriminative and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. China has always strictly implemented its obligations under the NPT.

The total elimination of danger of nuclear war lies in the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. In a short term, China holds that the reduction of the risk of nuclear war can be realized through the following measures:

All nuclear-weapons States should undertake unconditionally not to be the first to use nuclear weapons and not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free zones;
No State should research and develop low-yield and more-likely-used nuclear weapons;
The nuclear-weapon States should withdraw and return home all the nuclear weapons deployed outside of their own territories;
The nuclear-weapons States should take all necessary steps to avoid accidental or unauthorized launches of nuclear weapons, etc.

The goal of nuclear disarmament is the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. A world free of nuclear weapons cannot be achieved overnight, rather, it demands the unremitting efforts of generations to come. China will continue to contribute to this cause. ...

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