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Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs of China
Statement at the Plenary Meeting of the Conference on Disarmament
Geneva
11 February 1999
Mr. President,
The Chinese delegation would like to congratulate you on your assumption of the Presidency of the CD at the beginning of its 1999 session, and express our appreciation for your efforts to facilitate an early start of the substantive work in the CD this year. Our appreciation also goes to your predecessor, Ambassador Soutar of the United Kingdom, for his contribution to the work of the CD in 1998. May I also take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to our new colleagues, Ambassadors of Colombia, Argentina, Slovakia, Sweden, Israel and Indonesia.
Today I would like to make a few comments on CD's program of work in 1999. The importance of the work of the CD, the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, has been underscored by the international community. In 1998, with the efforts of all parties, the CD finally ended its stalemate. It began substantive work on various items on its agenda and achieved some progress. We hope, building upon the achievements of the past year, all parties can further demonstrate flexibility with a view to working out at an early date the program of work for the current session of the CD and embarking on substantive work. In formulating such a program, the CD should take into account the current international situation, especially the latest developments in the field of disarmament, focusing on issues which have a direct bearing on world peace and security. At the same time, we believe that such a program should reflect and accommodate the aspirations and concerns of all parties.
Nuclear Disarmament
Mr. President,
“Cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament” is the first item on CD's agenda and the top priority for the international community. China fully understands and endorses the proposals to establish in the CD appropriate working mechanisms, including an Ad Hoc Committee, to address the issue of nuclear disarmament. There are still different views regarding such mechanisms at the current stage. The Chinese delegation supports a joint effort by all parties to find, on the basis of a full exchange of views, a commonly acceptable solution and establish appropriate mechanism to work on the issue of nuclear disarmament.
The Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty
Mr. President,
China maintains that a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices will be conducive to the prevention of nuclear proliferation and promotion of nuclear disarmament. Last year, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution on FMCT. The Chinese delegation supports the re-establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to negotiate, on the basis of the mandate contained in the “Shannon Report”, a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, as requested by the UNGA Resolution 48/75L.
Negative Security Assurances
Mr. President,
China has always maintained that the great number of non-nuclear-weapon states are entirely reasonable and justified in demanding security assurances under which the nuclear-weapon states undertake not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against them. The post-Cold-War international situation should have provided new opportunities and possibilities for resolving the issue of NSA. The nuclear-weapon states should adopt a more positive attitude towards this issue, rather than moving in the opposite direction by expanding their nuclear deterrence strategy. The Chinese delegation supports the re-establishment of the Ad Hoc Committee to continue its substantive work on the basis of its work last year, with a view to concluding an international legal instrument on NSA.
Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space
Mr. President,
The 53rd session of the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 53/76 by an overwhelming majority, inviting again the CD to re-establish the Ad Hoc Committee on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space and recognizing CD's primary role in the negotiation of a multilateral agreement or agreements on the prevention of an arms race in outer space. 165 countries voted for the resolution and not a single country objected. This demonstrates the common aspiration and demand of the international community to prevent an arms race in outer space.
Last year, I made a statement on the same subject in the CD plenary, in which I mentioned a series of disturbing developments, indicating that prevention of an arms race in outer space has already become a “present and pressing” issue facing the international community. Recently, some new developments have again raised grave concerns. Here I am referring to the recent announcement of the programs to develop the National Missile Defense (NMD) and Theater Missile Defense (TMD) systems and the intention to amend and even withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty(ABM). The Cold War ended 10 years ago and the international relations should move towards greater relaxation. Against such background, the above decisions run counter to the trend of the times. They are detrimental to the international efforts in arms control and disarmament and may even trigger a new round of arms race and will have widespread and profound negative impact on the global and regional strategic balances in the next century. As is known to all, some of the above mentioned missile defense systems are to be deployed entirely in outer space or target at objects in outer space and some will rely on space to provide target information and guidance for ground weapon systems. The ultimate consequence will be turning outer space into a new battlefield and a base for weapon systems. Moreover, it should be pointed out that, if any country insists on amending or even abolishing the ABM, thus having a free hand in developing and deploying such missile defense systems, it will certainly upset the global strategic balance and will have serious negative impact on nuclear disarmament process. This cannot but raise grave concerns from the international community and makes prevention of an arms race in outer space more relevant and more urgent. As the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, the CD should live up to its obligations and responsibilities to address this important issue before it is too late. We once again urge an Ad Hoc Committee be established as soon as possible to negotiate legal instruments to prevent an arms race in outer space.
Last year, the Special Coordinator on this issue, Ambassador Palihakkara of Sri Lanka, pointed out in his progress report that there was no objection in principle to the re-establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee. We hope that all CD members will demonstrate necessary political will and flexibility in order to re-establish the Ad Hoc Committee as early as possible to begin negotiations on the effective prevention of an arms race in outer space.
Other Agenda Items
Mr. President,The Chinese Government has always attached great importance to the humanitarian concerns caused by landmines and is in favor of appropriate, reasonable and feasible restrictions on landmines, anti-personnel landmines in particular. In this connection, the Chinese Government has deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations its instrument of ratification of the Amended Protocol II to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) on November 4, 1998.
The Chinese Government also attaches great importance to mine clearance and has supported and actively participated in international demining activities. China has contributed to the international fund for mine clearance and assisted relevant countries and international organizations by providing training as well as relevant technologies and equipment. The Chinese Delegation agrees to appointing a special coordinator on the issue of anti-personnel landmines to build upon the work of last year.
We are now close to a decision on the expansion of CD membership. The Chinese delegation hopes that further efforts will be made to find a satisfactory solution in this regard.
The Chinese delegation also agrees with the re-appointment of the special coordinators to further explore ways to address expansion of CD membership, improved and efficient functioning of the CD and review of its agenda.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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