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Statement by H.E. Ambassador Hu Xiaodi at the First Committee of the 57th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
Permanent Mission of the PRC to the UN Office at Geneva
New York, 1 October 2002
Mr. Chairman,
First of all, please allow me to congratulate you on your Chairmanship of the
First Committee of this session of the UNGA. With your rich experience and
outstanding diplomatic skills, you will surely guide this session to success.
You and other members of the bureau can rest assured of the full cooperation and
support from the Chinese delegation. I would also like to express my
appreciation to Ambassador Erdös of Hungary for his excellent work as the
Chairman of the last session.
Mr. Chairman,
Not long ago, we commemorated the anniversary of the September 11th terrorist
attacks. While sharing the grief of those bereaved, we should draw lessons from
this tragedy, soberly examine from a wider perspective the problems and
challenges to international security, and seek effective ways to achieve lasting
peace and common security in the world.
In recent years, with the economic globalization rapidly unfolding, countries
are sharing much more common interests and ever-closer security links. There is
greater awareness of countries for dialogue and cooperation. Relations among
major countries have improved steadily. Peace and development remains the main
theme of the times. However, we should not overlook the problems in the field of
international security. Non-traditional security threats such as terrorism are
posing a grave challenge to international security. The tragic incident on
September 11th is a stark manifestation of such development. Although the
international efforts against terrorism have made significant headway, the
threat of terrorism is far from being eradicated. In both the traditional and
non-traditional security dimensions, instability and unpredictability in the
overall international security situation is increasing.
In this new situation, to avoid history being repeated and create a peaceful and
prosperous new century would depend on our ability to grasp the historic
opportunity and cope with the new challenges. It is imperative to foster a new
security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual-benefit, equality and
cooperation, and to address diverse security problems, old and new, with new
thinking and approach. Firstly, we should strive for the democratization of
international relations. Exclusion and confrontation should give way to
inclusion and dialogue, so as to improve the overall international relations and
achieve a new situation where all countries co-exist in a win-win relationship.
Secondly, we should promote multilateralism and resolve the problems facing the
international community through dialogue and cooperation. Thirdly, we should
intensify diplomatic efforts to settle regional hot spots so that lasting peace
and stability could be realized in all regions. Fourthly, we should take a
comprehensive approach and address both the symptoms and root causes of
non-traditional security threats such as terrorism and transnational organized
crimes. While making joint efforts to combat terrorism, we also need to have a
long-term perspective and try to eradicate the underlying social and economic
sources.
Mr. Chairman,
To prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their
delivery means and to eliminate those weapons eventually is crucial for
maintaining and enhancing international peace and security. The increasing
threat of terrorism today has brought more urgency to international non-
proliferation efforts and new challenges to the international non-proliferation
regime.
The Proliferation of WMD and their delivery means has complex causes and is
directly related to the regional and global security environment. Its
fundamental solution requires the improvement of overall international relations
and lies in political, legal and diplomatic means. Use or threat of force does
not help and would prove counter-productive. Full participation of and close
cooperation among all states is the prerequisite for the success of
international non-proliferation efforts, and the guarantee for the impartiality
and sustainability in these efforts. In this regard, we should give full play to
the role of the United Nations and other international organizations.
China supports the efforts by the United Nations, International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW) in preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. We
welcome the valuable report submitted by the UN Panel of Governmental Experts on
Missiles. China is in favor of making necessary amendments to the Convention on
the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials, and hopes that all parties will
bridge their differences in a constructive manner so as to enable the early
conclusion of the amending process. In March 2002, China completed the legal
procedures for the entry into force of the Additional Protocol to the Safeguards
Agreement between China and IAEA, the first among the five Nuclear-Weapon States
to do so. We encourage those states that have not yet done so to take the same
step at an early date, thus contributing to the strengthening of the IAEA
safeguards regime.
Mr. Chairman,
China has always been firm in its policy of not supporting, encouraging or
assisting other countries to develop WMD. As a country with certain scientific,
technological and industrial capabilities, China is fully aware of its
international non-proliferation responsibility. Over decades, China has adopted
strict measures on the domestic management and export control of sensitive items
and technologies, making concrete contribution to the international
non-proliferation process.
For years, China has constantly improved its export control mechanism and
promulgated a series of laws and regulations on the export control of sensitive
items on the basis of its own practice and drawing upon the experience of other
countries. In view of the new situation after its entry into WTO and the
September 11th terrorist attacks, China has intensified its efforts to enhance
its export control by legal means. Recently, the Chinese Government promulgated
the Regulations on Export Control of Missiles and Missile-related Items and
Technologies and the Missiles and Missile-related Items and Technologies Export
Control List. China has thus put its export control of missiles and related
items and technologies as well as missile-related dual-use items and
technologies into a legal framework. Moreover, to further improve export
controls of chemical and biological dual-use items, the Chinese Government will
promulgate in the near future the Administrative Rules on Export Control of
Chemical Items and Related Equipment and Technologies and the Regulations on
Export Control of Biological Dual-use Items and Related Equipment and
Technologies. With the promulgation of the above-mentioned regulations, China
will establish a comprehensive system of export controls over sensitive items
covering nuclear, biological, chemical and missile fields. We will continue to
enhance law enforcement to ensure full implementation of the existing laws and
regulations, and to improve our non-proliferation mechanism in light of the
changing situation. We would also like to further broaden and deepen exchanges
and cooperation with other countries in the non-proliferation field so as to
make greater contribution to the international non-proliferation process
Mr. Chairman,
Disarmament and non-proliferation are mutually complementary. Without effective
non-proliferation, disarmament could hardly be achieved; without progress in
disarmament, non-proliferation could hardly be effective and sustainable.
Therefore, to preserve the authority and universality of the Treaty on the
Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is critical for nuclear non-
proliferation and nuclear disarmament. In this connection, China welcomes the
decision of Cuba to prepare for the accession to the NPT and the ratification of
the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the
Caribbean. China supports the full implementation of the thirteen nuclear
disarmament steps as contained in the Final Document of the 2000 NPT Review
Conference on the premise of maintaining global strategic stability and
undiminished security for all countries. China always supports and is ready to
contribute to the NPT review process.
China welcomes the new treaty between the United States and the Russian
Federation on the reduction of strategic offensive forces. China hopes that the
U.S. and Russia, as countries with the largest nuclear arsenals and bearing
special and primary responsibilities for nuclear disarmament, will continue to
drastically reduce and destroy their nuclear weapons in a verifiable and
irreversible way.
Comprehensive-Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is an important step toward nuclear
disarmament. China supports its early entry into force. It is critical for all
the Nuclear-Weapon States to maintain the nuclear testing moratorium before the
treaty enters into force. China has actively participated in the work of the
CTBTO PrepCom and is carrying out domestic preparations for the implementation
of the treaty. China is ready to work with the international community to
facilitate the early entry into force of the treaty.
To prohibit the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons is of
significance in the nuclear disarmament process. China supports the early
negotiation and conclusion of a fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT). We hope
that the Conference on Disarmament (CD) could reach a comprehensive and balanced
program of work as soon as possible, so as to commence the FMCT negotiation.
China has shown considerable flexibility to that end. We expect other countries
to respond positively so that the CD could carry out substantive work at an
early date.
Mr. Chairman,
After more than a decade since the end of the Cold War, it has become common
aspiration of the international community to shake off the Cold War mentality.
To achieve this objective, we should, first and foremost, establish a new
concept of cooperative security and seek common security for all countries. In
the field of strategic security, the reliance on nuclear weapons should be
diminished. To develop missile defense systems designed to strengthen unilateral
deterrence, lower the threshold for nuclear weapons use and increase targets for
nuclear attacks run counter to the trend of the times. That is not only
detrimental to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, but also
harmful to international peace, security and stability.
Mr. Chairman,
As a Chinese saying goes, prevention is better than cure. One of the major
purposes of arms control is to prevent new arms races in new fields. Today, this
preventive function is most salient in outer space. With the dramatic
development of space science and technology, more and more countries are
benefiting from the peaceful uses of outer space, and our daily life is
increasingly linked to outer space. Peaceful uses of outer space offer a bright
prospect for the progress of human civilization. However, the shadow of
weaponization of outer space is looming large. We must set to work urgently to
ensure peaceful uses of outer space and to prevent it from becoming a new
battlefield.
While looking back with regret at the historical mistakes of the cold war in
competing for nuclear advantage, we should be wise enough to avoid repeating the
same mistakes and to prevent the weaponization of and an arms race in outer
space. This is an issue where the world peace and the long-term interest of all
countries are at stake. It is encouraging to note that this issue is drawing
increasing attention from the international community as demonstrated by the UN
General Assembly resolutions adopted for many consecutive years and NGOs
seminars devoted to this issue.
As the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, the Conference on
Disarmament should re-establish the Ad Hoc Committee on PAROS and start
substantive work with a view to negotiating and concluding an international
legal instrument on preventing the weaponization of and an arms race in outer
space at an early date. For this purpose, China together with Russia and some
other countries, submitted to the CD a working paper titled Possible Elements
for a Future International Legal Agreement on the Prevention of the Deployment
of Weapons in Outer Space, and the Threat or Use of Force Against Outer Space
Objects (CD/1679) in June this year. This working paper is also circulated as an
official document of the current session of UNGA (A/57/418). We would like to
register our gratitude to the countries concerned for their useful comments and
suggestions, and will continue to conduct serious and earnest discussions on
this issue with all parties, further drawing on their views and suggestions to
improve and enrich the above-mentioned document.
Mr. Chairman,
China always strictly and faithfully fulfills its obligations under the Chemical
Weapons Convention (CWC) and actively supports and participates in the work of
the OPCW. We would like to congratulate H.E. Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter on his
assumption of the Director-General of the OPCW. We believe that, under the
leadership of Ambassador Pfirter, the OPCW will pass this transitional period
smoothly, get back on track and make new progress in the implementation of the
Convention. China is ready to work with other member states for the
comprehensive and effective implementation of the convention and the smooth
operation of the OPCW.
With the joint efforts of China and Japan, progress has been made last year in
the disposal of chemical weapons abandoned by Japan on the Chinese territory. We
hope that the substantive destruction process will start as soon as possible so
that the grave threat posed by these weapons to the local environment and the
lives and property of the local people can be eliminated within the time-frame
set forth in the Convention.
China has supported and actively participated in the negotiation of the protocol
to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). We deeply regret that the protocol
failed to come to fruition as expected. In the current situation, it is
particularly important to strengthen the effectiveness of the Convention.
Therefore, China welcomes and is willing to discuss within the multilateral
framework any suggestions and measures aimed at strengthening the effectiveness
of the Convention. As the resumed session of the Fifth BWC Review Conference is
approaching, China wishes to work with other parties in a constructive manner to
seek consensus on the specific mechanism and measures for strengthening the
effectiveness of the Convention, so that the conference could achieve concrete
results.
China consistently supports the international efforts to address the illicit
trade in small arms. The Programme of Action adopted by the UN Conference on the
Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects and the
conclusion of Firearms Protocol to the UN Convention against Transnational
Organized Crimes represent major steps by the international community in this
connection. It is of great significance to fully implement the Programme of
Action and to facilitate the early entry into force of the Firearms Protocol. We
are pleased that the UN Governmental Experts Group on Small Arms is currently
examining the issue of identification and tracing of illegal small arms. We hope
their efforts will produce positive results. China always attaches great
importance to the control of the production of and trade in small arms. We are
now faithfully implementing the relevant measures contained in the Programme of
Action and looking into the issue of signing the Firearms Protocol.
China supports international efforts to strengthen the Convention on Certain
Conventional Weapons (CCW). We welcome the successful conclusion of the Second
CCW Review Conference at the end of last year. We also welcome the decisions
adopted at the conference to amend Article I of the Convention by expanding the
scope of application of the CCW and to establish a group of governmental experts
(GGE) to further explore the issues such as explosive remnants of war (ERW).
After two sessions of the GGE this year, parties are converging on some aspects
of the ERW issue. China wishes to join hands with other states parties to move
this process forward.
In recent years, China has been actively engaged in international de- mining
assistance and has achieved good results. In 2002, China has earmarked about 3
million US dollars for international de-mining cooperation, which is mainly used
for mine clearance assistance to Eritrea and Lebanon. Besides providing the two
countries with de-mining equipment, we have also sent an expert group to Eritrea
to train local de-mining operators. China will continue with international
de-mining assistance within its capacity. We are also willing to cooperate with
other states and international organizations to make contributions to the
strengthening of international de-mining efforts.
To conduct various forms of exchanges and cooperation helps enhance mutual
trust, eliminate suspicions, broaden common grounds and promote the course of
arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation. In this regard, we highly
appreciate the fruitful work by the UN in recent years. China attaches
importance and actively devotes itself to the dialogue and cooperation in the
field of arms control and disarmament. In recent years, we have been conducting
fruitful consultations with many countries. Last April, China and the UN co-
sponsored an international conference “A Disarmament Agenda for the 21st
Century”. The UN Under-Secretary-General, Mr. Dhanapala, senior government
officials from more than twenty countries and NGO representatives attended the
conference. They conducted in-depth discussions and put forward useful
suggestions on such important issues as nuclear disarmament, prevention of an
arms race in outer space, missile non-proliferation and the role of UN in
disarmament field. A booklet containing the summary of the conference and
statements made will shortly be published by the UN Department for Disarmament
Affairs.
Mr. Chairman,
After decades of unremitting efforts, the international community has
established a relatively complete international arms control and disarmament
legal system, which has become an important and stabilizing factor in the global
security architecture. Under the current situation, this system has an even more
important role to play. Therefore, to preserve this legal system and to further
promote the course of international arms control, disarmament and non-
proliferation serves the common interests of all states and is also their shared
responsibility. China will join other countries in their efforts towards this
objective.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin
Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of
International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the
opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or
its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2007 by
MIIS.
