Chi Peng-fei to Mexican Ambassador to China Eugenio Anguiano 14 November 1972

Letter from Chinese Foreign Minister Chi Peng-fei to Mexican Ambassador to China Eugenio Anguiano

14 November 1972

His Excellency Mr. Eugenio Anguiano,
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of Mexico to China

Your Excellency,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's note of October 5, 1972 and to reply as follows on the question of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Latin America to which it refers:

The United States of Mexico and other Latin American countries have proposed the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Latin America and asked the countries possessing nuclear weapons to sign Additional Protocol II to the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and to make a pertinent undertaking regarding the Latin American nuclear-weapon-free zone. The Chinese Government respects and supports the just proposition of Mexico and other Latin American countries and agrees to the basic contents of this protocol.

At present certain countries possessing huge numbers of nuclear weapons are still pursuing a policy of nuclear blackmail and nuclear threat against non-nuclear countries and zones. They not only have stationed nuclear forces and established nuclear bases on the territories of other countries, but are constantly sending their airplanes, warships or other means of delivery carrying nuclear weapons to traverse the territorial air space and territorial sea of other countries, posing a grave threat to the peace and security of these countries and zones. In view of this, the Chinese Government proposes for consideration the inclusion of the following provisions in addition to the present provisions of Additional Protocol II to the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America:

dismantling of all foreign military bases in Latin America; and
prohibition of the passage of all means of transportation and delivery carrying nuclear weapons through the territory, territorial sea or territorial air space of Latin American countries.

The Chinese Government has always firmly stood for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons and held that, as the first step, all nuclear countries should undertake not to use nuclear weapons, particularly not to use them against non-nuclear countries. The Chinese Government has repeatedly declared that at no time and under no circumstances will China be the first to use nuclear weapons. As a specific undertaking regarding the nuclear-weapon-free zone in Latin America, I now declare solemnly on behalf of the Chinese Government: China will never use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear Latin American countries and the Latin American nuclear-weapon-free zone; nor will China test, manufacture, produce, stockpile, install or deploy nuclear weapons in these countries or in this zone, or send her means of transportation and delivery carrying nuclear weapons to cross the territory, territorial sea or air space of Latin American countries. I believe that this undertaking of the Chinese Government is in conformity with the proposition and basic demand of the Latin American countries.

It is necessary to point out at the same time that both the Preamble of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and that of Additional Protocol II affirm the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly on the treaty on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the partial nuclear test ban treaty, to which latter two treaties China has always been opposed. It is solely under compulsion that China has been developing nuclear weapons, and she is doing so entirely for defensive purposes and for breaking the nuclear monopoly and proceeding from there to eliminate nuclear weapons. Certain countries possessing huge numbers of nuclear weapons are precisely making use of the above-mentioned two treaties in an attempt to establish their nuclear monopoly, nuclear superiority and nuclear hegemony in the world. Since the Chinese Government takes exception to these two treaties, it is in no position to sign Additional Protocol II to the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America. But this definitely does not hinder the Chinese Government from supporting the Latin American nuclear-weapon-free zone and making the above-mentioned undertaking regarding it. The Chinese Government is ready to continue to work together with the Latin American countries for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons.

The Chinese Government hopes that its position will have the full understanding of the United States of Mexico and the other Latin American countries. The Mexican Government is requested to convey China's above-mentioned position to all the governments parties to the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America.

I avail myself of this opportunity to express to Your Excellency the assurances of my highest consideration.

(signed)

Chi Peng-fei
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
People's Republic of China

Peking, November 14, 1972

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.