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Statement of H.E. Mr. Sha Zukang
Ambassador of China for Disarmament Affairs
At the General Debate of the First Committee
of the 50th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
17 October 1995
Mr. Chairman,
At the outset, please allow me to congratulate you on behalf of the Chinese Delegation on your election to the Chairmanship of the First Committee of the current session of the UNGA. I have full confidence that with your outstanding talent and rich experience in diplomacy, you will surely guide the work of the Committee to success. Meanwhile, I wish to congratulate the other members of the Bureau on their election and express our thanks to H.E. Ambassador Rodriquez of Ecuador for his contribution to the Committee during his tenure of the chairmanship for the last session.
Mr. Chairman,
The current session of the UNGA is convened in the year that marks the 50th anniversaries of the victory of the world's anti-Fascist war, the victory of the War of Resistance of China against Japanese Invasion, as well as the founding of the United Nations. Over the past half of the century, the United Nations has made commendable effort in the promotion of disarmament and the maintenance of international peace and security. In this respect, the UNGA has adopted numerous resolutions on nuclear disarmament, conventional disarmament, the prohibition of biological and chemical weapons, the checking of the arms race, prevention of militarization of space, the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones and zones of peace. The three SSODs and the Final Document adopted by the first SSOD in particular, facilitated progress in the field of disarmament. In the UN and other multilateral forum, a series of important disarmament agreements, such as the Biological Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention, were reached, thereby leading mankind step by step toward the world free of all forms of weapons of mass destruction.
Mr. Chairman,
Since the last session of the UNGA, the effort of all countries, further progress has been made in the field of disarmament and arms control. Five months ago, the Conference of States Parties to the NPT decided to extend the Treaty indefinitely. Such a decision is beneficial to the prevention of nuclear weapon proliferation and to the maintenance of international peace and security, and should give new currency to the maintenance of international peace and security, and should give new currency to the process of nuclear disarmament. On the other hand, such a decision should not be interpreted to allow the perpetual possession of nuclear weapons by the nuclear weapon states. Resolution 984 on the provision of security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon states adopted by the Security Council should serve as a new starting point for the negotiations on legally binding international instruments on the no-use or threat of use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states. All participants to the Geneva Conference on Disarmament are working hard for the early conclusion of a good CTBT and have set up an ad hoc committee on the cut-off convention. Meanwhile, signatories to the CWC are intensifying their efforts to ratify the Convention.
However, we have to be aware of the fact that disarmament still has a long way to go. The existing nuclear weapon reduction treaties are yet to be implemented. Those gigantic nuclear arsenals remain practically intact. Some nuclear weapon states still insist on their policies of nuclear deterrence and are continuing with their research and development of space weapons. For promoting the objective of total prohibition and thorough destruction of all nuclear weapons, Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister of China, Mr. Qian Qichen proposed at the last session of the UNGA that a convention on the comprehensive prohibition of nuclear weapons should be concluded. He further put forward a comprehensive set of interrelated nuclear disarmament proposals, including the conclusion of a convention on the no-first-use of nuclear weapons through negotiations among the nuclear weapon states. China expects to see positive response from the countries concerned.
Mr. Chairman,
China supports the goal of a total ban on nuclear weapon testing within the framework of complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. China rejoices at the marked progress achieved on the CTBT in less than two years of negotiations. China believes that the CTBT will be a step toward the ultimate goal of complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. So far as the CTBT is concerned, the treaty should have a clearly defined scope to provide a comprehensive ban on all nuclear weapon test explosions and not to ban peaceful nuclear explosions or in any way restrict the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The verification regime of the treaty should be effective, fair and just. China welcomes the substantive progress made on the question of the international monitoring system and believes that IMS should be able to provide effective global detection of events in violation of the future treaty. National technical means have no place in the IMS, nor should they substitute the latter. This is an important issue of principle bearing on all states parties and particularly on the realization of equal rights between developing and the developed countries that have different levels of such technical means. Furthermore, to ensure the fairness of the verification regime, the CTBT treaty organization must approve on-site-inspection requests and reach conclusions after the inspection. I wish to reiterate here that China attaches great importance to the CTBT negotiations and will continue to work with all other participating countries to strive for the conclusion of a genuinely good CTBT as soon as possible, not later than 1996.
Mr. Chairman,
China has long unilaterally undertaken not to be the first to use nuclear weapons at any time or under any circumstances. She has also unconditionally undertaken not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon countries and nuclear-weapon-free zones. We strongly appeal that all nuclear weapon states enter into immediate negotiations on the conclusion of a treaty on the no-first-use of nuclear weapons and on an agreement on the no-use or no-threat-of-use of such weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states and nuclear-weapon-free zones. These instruments would enhance international peace, stability and security, and therefore conform with the fundamental interests of all countries. China attaches high importance to the issue of no-first-use of nuclear weapons. In this regard, China has presented to the other nuclear-weapons states a draft treaty on the no-first-use of nuclear weapons and calls on these countries to respond positively. In the post-cold war era of today, it is obviously anachronistic to continue with the policy of nuclear deterrence based on the first-use of nuclear weapons and thus subjecting other countries to nuclear threat.
Mr. Chairman,
China's possession of a limited number of nuclear weapons is solely for self-defense and to fend off nuclear threats. China's nuclear weapons are not directed against any other country. China has no intention nor has it ever participated in the nuclear arms race. China does not belong to any military alliance, nor does she have any foreign nuclear umbrella. While China has long unilaterally undertaken not to be the first to use nuclear weapons, she has all along lived under the shadow of nuclear weapon threat. Despite this fact, China has exercised utmost restrain in nuclear testing and supports a comprehensive ban on nuclear weapon test explosions. Once the CTBT enters into force, China will cease its nuclear weapon tests.
Mr. Chairman,
China consistently supports the aspirations and efforts by countries concerned in their endeavor to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones through equally participated consultations and in light of the specific conditions of each particular region. In this regard, the Latin-American and South-Pacific countries have achieved results. Recently, we have seen welcoming progress in the efforts by the African countries in the establishment of the African nuclear-weapon-free zone. China resolutely supports the Treaty on Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Africa and will proceed with her consistent position to assume her due obligations regarding the African Zone. It is also our hope that all nuclear weapon states will equally respect the states of the nuclear-weapon-free zones and undertake their due obligations.
Mr. Chairman,
The Conference on Disarmament has set up the ad hoc committee for the cut-off convention. China is ready to work with all the other countries concerned to push forward the work of the CD in a balanced manner and contribute to the conclusion of a fair, practicable and universally participated cut-off convention that will be beneficial to the process of nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation.
Mr. Chairman,
Ever since the Chemical Weapons Convention was open for signature, we have seen an increasing number of countries ratifying the Convention. Thanks to the joint effort of various Signatories and the Provisional Technical Secretariat, progress has been achieved on many issues concerning the future implementation of the Convention. Together with all other countries concerned , China will continue to work for a satisfactory solution of such issues as the abandoned chemical weapons, the challenge inspection and Article 11 of the Convention. China supports the purpose and objectives of the Convention and is one of the first Signatories. China is now actively preparing for early ratification of the Convention.
Mr. Chairman,
China has earnestly and fully implemented her obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention, and has annually reported to the UN the required data relevant to the Convention. China supports measures that would strengthen the effectiveness of the Convention. In light of the special characteristics of biological weapons and the complexity of the verification, it is imperative to discuss, formulate necessary definitions and objective criteria, including lists of bacteriological (biological) agents and toxins, so as to clearly differentiate those prohibited activities from those allowed. Only on this basis can there be a meaningful exploration for effective and practicable verification measures. The quick-fix approach with verification for verification's sake will not help enhance the effectiveness of the Convention.
Mr. Chairman,
At the recent Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, agreement was reached on the addition of a new protocol on the prohibition of blinding weapons. Though falling short of agreement, progress was made by States Parties on amending Protocol II on land mines. We hope that at the follow-up session all sides will be flexible and pragmatic and that outstanding issues will be solved. China supports the international community in their efforts to enhance the effectiveness and universality of the Convention and is ready to make her own contributions.
Mr. Chairman,
Mankind experienced two global hot wars in the first half of this century and lived in the shadow of a cold war for the last 40 years and more, small wonder that the 20th Century has been described as the "century of wars". In five years time, the world shall see the 21st Century. In order to make the coming century an era of peace and tranquility, we are pressed with the tasks of further promoting the disarmament process and preserving world peace and security. China will continue to work with all other countries and make her own contributions to the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and to the cause of peace for all mankind.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin
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