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Statement by Sha Zukang,
Chinese Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament
13 June 1996
(CD/PV.738)
(Translated from Chinese)
On 8 June, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China issued a statement on China's nuclear testing. I have been instructed to request the distribution of the statement as an official document of the CD. I would like to read the statement as follows.
"China conducted a nuclear test on 8 June 1996.
"China stands for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, and is in favour of reaching a comprehensive nuclear test ban in the process towards this objective. As early as in October 1993, the Chinese Government publicly announced that China stands for the conclusion of the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty no later than 1996. Since then, the Chinese delegation has taken an active part in the CTBT negotiations in Geneva. China will continue to work with other countries for the conclusion, within this year, of a fair, reasonable and verifiable treaty with universal adherence and unlimited duration.
"The limited amount of nuclear weapons China possesses is solely for the purpose of self-defence and does not constitute a threat to any country. China has unilaterally and solemnly undertaken not to be the first to use nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstances. It has also committed itself not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free zones. At the same time, China strongly calls on other nuclear-weapon States for a positive response to China's initiative by immediately concluding, through negotiations, a treaty on mutual non-first use of nuclear weapons, and reaching an agreement on the unconditional non-use or non-threat of use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free zones.
"In the world today, there still exist huge nuclear arsenals and the threat of a nuclear war caused by the first use of nuclear weapons. Against such a background, for the purpose of safeguarding the supreme interests of the State and the nation, China cannot but conduct the necessary and the minimum number of nuclear tests. We have all along exercised utmost restraint in conducting nuclear tests, and the number of tests we have conducted is extremely limited.
"Together with the Governments and peoples of other countries in the world, the Chinese Government and people will work unremittingly and do their utmost for the realization of the lofty goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world at an early date and for the maintenance of lasting peace and universal security.
"Based on the afore-mentioned position, the Chinese Government hereby announces that before September this year, China will conduct another nuclear test to ensure the safety of its nuclear weapons. After that, China will exercise a moratorium on nuclear testing."
As everybody has noticed, the Chinese Government has declared in the statement that China will implement a moratorium on nuclear testing after September this year. I wish to point out that it is not easy for China to make such a decision. As is known to all, China has conducted the smallest number of nuclear tests among the five nuclear-weapon States. China's nuclear weapons are no match for those of nuclear super-Powers in terms of quantity and quality. Besides, China has unilaterally undertaken not to be the first to use nuclear weapons under any circumstances, and has called for other nuclear-weapon States to undertake the same commitment and to conclude a treaty on mutual non-first use of nuclear weapons. However, some nuclear-weapon States have ignored China's appeal and have so far not responded positively to China's proposal. Despite this circumstance, China declares that it will implement a moratorium on nuclear testing, on the one hand, to respond to the legitimate demand of the broad non-nuclear-weapon States and, on the other hand, to push forward the ongoing CTBT negotiations. China's sincerity in seeking to conclude a CTBT as early as possible is beyond doubt. Just now some delegations of non-nuclear-weapon States have expressed their concern at China's nuclear test and its possible impact on the CTBT negotiations. The Chinese delegation understands their concern. However, a certain nuclear super-Power and its military allies under its nuclear protection have made some unwarranted remarks on China's extremely limited number of nuclear tests, irrespective of China's legitimate security concerns. This is totally unacceptable. The Chinese delegation would like to call upon them to concentrate their efforts on the negotiations and show the necessary flexibility so as to make concrete efforts to conclude the CTBT negotiations by the end of June.
A moment ago, certain delegations again mentioned the question of PNEs. There are different views on this matter, and this is nothing strange. As is known to everyone, PNEs are not a Chinese invention. PNEs are legitimized by the NPT Treaty, and the NPT was not drafted by the Chinese. As is also known to all, China became a party to that treaty more than 20 years later. If some delegations want to use the CTBT to perpetually ban PNEs, then why did they not call for amendment of the NPT at the Review Conference held in May last year, or at many an NPT review conference held before? The Chinese delegation has its own national position on PNEs. However, in order to promote the early conclusion of the CTBT, the Chinese delegation has exercised maximum flexibility. We call upon the relevant delegations to show the same flexibility in order to find a solution acceptable to all. Sticking to each delegation's own national position will only bring to the negotiations negative influences that the Chinese delegation is not willing to see.
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
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