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March 6, 2003, Geneva
Mr. President,
Allow me, on behalf of the Chinese delegation, to congratulate you on your assumption of the Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament. You can be assured of the full cooperation of the Chinese delegation. I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to register our gratitude to your predecessor, Ambassador Rakesh Sood, for his unremitting efforts. I must also thank Mr. Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Secretary-General of the Conference, Mr. Roman-Morey, Deputy Secretary-General, and all the Secretariat for their enormous help throughout our work.
International Security Situation and Counter-Terrorism
Peace and development remain the themes of our times. The growing trends of world multipolarization and economic globalization have brought with them opportunities and favorable conditions for world peace and development. However, the old international political and economic order, which is unfair and irrational, has yet to be changed fundamentally. Uncertainties affecting peace and development are on the rise. The elements of traditional and non-traditional threats to security are intertwined, and the scourge of terrorism is more acutely felt. Local conflicts triggered by ethnic or religious contradictions and border or territorial disputes have cropped up from time to time. The North-South gap is widening. The world is far from being tranquil and mankind is faced with many grave challenges.
The thrust of China’s independent foreign policy is to maintain world peace and promote common development. We are ready to work with the international community to boost world multipolarization, promote the democratization of international relations and maintain stability in the international community. We will promote the development of economic globalization in a direction conducive to common prosperity, draw on its advantages and avoid its downsides so that all countries, particularly developing countries, can benefit from the process.
We stand for putting in place a new international political and economic order that is fair and rational. Politically, all countries should respect and consult one another. Economically, they should complement one another and pursue common development. Culturally, they should learn from each other and work for common prosperity. In the area of security, countries should trust one another and work together to maintain security, foster a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination, and settle their disputes through dialogue and cooperation. Wanton use or threat of force should not be an option.
Today, promoting multilateralism and opposing unilateralism are important and practical. Last year, the Unite Nations General Assembly has, for the first time, adopted the resolution 57/63 which embodies basic principles of promoting multilateralism in the field of disarmament and arms control. We are ready to join hands with all countries to oppose the use of force in international relations and preserve and promote multilateralism.
The international struggle against terrorism has entered a new phase, which underlines the necessity for a historical and macro perspective to view and promote it. China holds that the kernel of counter-terrorism is to maintain peace and security of mankind. The basis of counter-terrorism is universal development and common prosperity. The guarantee of counter-terrorism is the closer communication and integration among civilizations. The key to counter-terrorism is stronger and deeper international cooperation. As a responsible country, China loves peace, treasures peace and endeavors to defend peace. We firmly support and actively participate in the international struggle against terrorism and push for the leading role of the United Nations.
Global Strategic Stability
New developments have brought with changes in global strategic and security situation. Today, how to preserve global strategic stability stands out as a pressing issue before the international community. In our view, first, the purpose and the principle of the UN Charter and the norms of international law should be strictly observed. The arms control and disarmament legal regime, which has become part and parcel of the global collective security structure, should be preserved. Secondly, the role of nuclear weapons should be diminished in national security doctrines. Nuclear disarmament process should continue, including the entry into force and implementation of CTBT at an early date and the negotiation and conclusion of a FMCT. Thirdly, strategic dialogue and cooperation should be strengthened among countries. The tendency towards outer space weaponization constitutes a serious threat to strategic stability and hampers arms control and disarmament efforts. Preventing the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space must be high on the agenda of the international community.
Outer Space
Last year, China, together with Russia and some other countries, submitted to the CD a working paper entitled “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). It is precisely our objective, in the framework on the CD and in a legally binding manner, to prevent the weaponization of outer space once and for all. Up to now, the delegations of China and the Russian Federation have held several rounds of open-ended consultations and briefings. There are growing involvements from more and more delegations, some of them have offered serious and valuable suggestions. We hope that CD/1679 along with these suggestions can provide “food for thought” for future substantive work on PAROS in the CD, leading to negotiations of a treaty preventing the weaponization of outer space. We will further draw on the reasonable views and suggestions to enrich CD/1679 in a flexible and open-minded manner. We welcome all delegations to participate in this process.
Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
Disarmament and non-proliferation are mutually complementary and reinforcing. Currently, preserving the authority, integrity and universality of NPT is critical for nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament. China resolutely safeguards the NPT. In this connection, China welcomes the decision of Cuba to accede to the NPT and appeals to those countries that have not yet joined the NPT to do so at an early date. On the premise of maintaining global strategic stability and undiminished security for all countries, China supports the full implementation, in a comprehensive manner, of the thirteen nuclear disarmament steps as contained in the Final Document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference. China will continue to actively participate in the preparatory process for the 2005 NPT Review Conference.
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones and Security Assurances
China supports ASEAN for establishing the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. We have reached agreement with ASEAN on the issues related to the Protocol to the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty and are ready to sign the Protocol as soon as possible. We hope that ASEAN and the other four nuclear-weapon States will soon resolve the remaining issues.
China supports the efforts of Central Asian States to establish the Central Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. We have no substantive difficulties towards the current text of the Treaty and the Protocol. Any amendments to the text should not go against the purpose and principles of the Treaty and should be agreed by all relevant parties. We are ready to sign the Protocol as long as all parties reach consensus on the text of the Treaty and its Protocol.
China firmly supports the Treaties of Tlatelolco, Rarotonga and Pelindaba and fulfills its relevant obligations. We respect the nuclear-weapon-free status of Mongolia.
China continues to urge all the five nuclear-weapon States to undertake never to be the first to use nuclear weapons, and commit themselves unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States and nuclear-weapon-free zones.
Non-proliferation
Both the symptom and root causes of the issue of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction should be tackled. Its fundamental solution lies in improving international and regional security environment, so as to remove the incentives for acquiring and developing weapons of mass destruction. China has always actively participated in the international non-proliferation efforts with a view to maintaining and strengthening the international non-proliferation regime. China has put in place export control systems covering nuclear, biological, chemical, missile and other fields. In the latter half of last year, China promulgated the Regulations on Export Control of Missiles and Missiles-related Items and Technologies, the Regulations on Export Control of Dual-use Biological Agents and Related Equipment and Technologies, and the Administrative Rules on Export Control of Relevant Chemicals and Related Equipment and Technologies, which have further refined our legal administration over relevant exports. Drawing upon one another’s strong points, we are ready to consolidate and improve our export control system through strengthened exchanges and cooperation with all other countries and with international export control regimes.
Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)
Last year, the resumed Fifth Review Conference of BWC adopted minimum follow-ups. Although falling far short of our expectation, these follow-ups could contribute to strengthening BWC and maintaining the multilateral process. China will continue to implement BWC in a strict and comprehensive manner and endeavor to strengthen the effectiveness of BWC in its all aspects. We will actively participate in the discussion of all the five issues as contained in the follow-ups. A successful outcome of future work will depend on the broad participation of all sides in promoting this multilateral process.
Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW)
China is glad to see the work under CCW has made achievements in the fields of conventional arms control and humanitarianism. On the whole, the recommendation on follow-up actions on the issue of explosive remnants of war (ERW) is practical and feasible. China will contribute to an early conclusion of an ERW “instrument” acceptable for all. In our view, the issue of anti-vehicle landmines (AVL) has already been solved in the Amended Landmine Protocol. Therefore, it is unnecessary for the Group of Governmental Experts of CCW to discuss this issue again. As for the recommendation on the follow-up actions on the AVL issue, we are not satisfied with it. Nevertheless, considering the positions of some countries, we are ready to show flexibility and continue to discuss this issue.
Small Arms
China has always attached importance to the administration over the production and trade of small arms. A series of national laws and regulations on small arms have been enacted and strictly enforced. We support and actively participate in all international efforts to address the issue of small arms. On 9 December 2002, China signed the Firearms Protocol supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, which has further strengthened and standardized our legal administration of the manufacturing, storage, use and transfer of firearms and small arms. China will actively participate in the Biennial Meeting on small arms this coming July in New York, striving to assure the implementation of the Program of Action adopted by the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects.
The work of the CD
The Conference on Disarmament, as a law-making body in multilateral arms control and disarmament field, is highly representative of military and security significance and constitutes an invaluable pool of political and technical expertise. China attaches great importance to the role of the CD and expects an early commencement of substantive work of the CD on the premise of addressing the security concerns of all. China appreciates the positive efforts made by all parties. We would accept the “Five Ambassadors’ Proposal” if it includes “with a view to negotiating relevant international legal instrument” into its PAROS mandate.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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
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