Mr. President,

Comprehensive prohibition and total destruction of nuclear weapons, elimination of the threat of nuclear war and realization of a world free of nuclear weapons are important elements of the NPT and serve the common interest of humanity.

​China firmly pursues peaceful development, implements an open, transparent and responsible nuclear policy, faithfully fulfills its nuclear disarmament obligation under the NPT and advocates comprehensive prohibition and total destruction of nuclear weapons.

​China adheres to a nuclear strategy of self-defense. Our nuclear weapons are only for the purpose of responding to possible nuclear attacks that endanger our national security. China has never threatened and will never threaten any state, or target any state with its nuclear weapons. We have faithfully honored our commitments of not to be the first to use nuclear weapons and not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states and nuclear weapon free zones under any circumstances. China vigorously promotes the conclusion of a multilateral treaty among nuclear states in this regard. We believe that this in itself is a practical action for nuclear disarmament. We do not provide nuclear protection umbrella for other states, do not deploy nuclear weapons on the soil of other states, do not engage in any form of nuclear arms race, and have always kept our nuclear force at the minimal level required by our national security.

China has signed and ratified the protocols to the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty and the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty. We have also ratified recently the protocol to the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia. We hope to sign as early as possible the protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone. We call upon nuclear states to support non-nuclear states in their efforts to establish nuclear weapon free zones, and to take up legally binding obligations.

` China has taken effective measures to promote nuclear disarmament. Alongside the national process for the ratification of the CTBT, we are steadily advancing the preparations for the implementation of the treaty. We support the early initiation of negotiations on the FMCT treaty in the Conference on Disarmament. We have participated in the work of the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on FMCT and hope that the deliberations of the group will facilitate the early start of the negotiations in the CD.

We have actively conducted research in verification measures and related technical tools for nuclear arms control, such as dismantling of nuclear warheads, certification, verification of the storage and disposal of nuclear component parts and nuclear material, and possible verification mechanisms for the future cut-off treaty. China has also established CTBT related national technical verification procedures.

In terms of transparency and CBMs, China has issued relevant white papers to elaborate China’s nuclear strategy and nuclear capability development. We have also engaged with the other four nuclear states in dialogue and consultations with respect to CBMs and the implementation of the NPT. A significant achievement of the P-5 mechanism is the agreement reached in the working group on nuclear terminology and definition headed by China on the first draft of nuclear terminology, which will play an important role in enhancing understanding and mutual trust in the nuclear field. We shall formally submit the draft text to the current review conference for consideration and will host a side-event on May 5 to introduce our relevant initiatives and efforts.

Mr.President,

This review conference will determine the orientation of the next phase in international nuclear disarmament. All parties should strive to build common ground and narrow differences in order to reach agreement on ways to achieve further progress in nuclear disarmament. In this connection, China would like to make the following points:

1. Universal security should be the guiding principle. Progress in nuclear disarmament will only be possible in a peaceful and stable international security environment. To this end, parties should uphold the new security concept of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, and cooperation, fully respect and accommodate the legitimate security concerns of states, settle international disputes peacefully through dialogue on equal footing, and pursue common, comprehensive and sustainable security through cooperation.

2. Nuclear disarmament should be promoted gradually. Nuclear states should commit themselves to the effective implementation of their Article 6 obligations and undertake not to seek permanent possession of nuclear weapons. Countries with the largest nuclear arsenals bear special and main responsibilities for nuclear disarmament, and they should continue to drastically reduce their nuclear stockpiles by verifiable, irreversible and legally binding means. When conditions are ready, other nuclear states should also join the multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiation process. China supports the early entering into force of the CTBT. Pending this, nuclear states should continue to honor their commitment to the nuclear test moratorium. The mandate for negotiations as stipulated in CD/1299 should be maintained and the negotiations on the cut-off treaty initiated in the CD in Geneva as soon as possible.

3. The role of nuclear weapons in national security policy should be effectively reduced. All nuclear states should commit not to be the first to use nuclear weapons and not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states and nuclear weapon free zones, and they should negotiate an international legal instrument to this effect. Nuclear states should honor their commitment not to target their nuclear weapons against any state, and to withdraw all their nuclear weapons deployed overseas. The policy and practice of providing nuclear protection umbrella and nuclear sharing should be abolished. All necessary precautions should be taken to avoid accidental or unauthorized launching of nuclear weapons.

4. Strategic balance and stability must be maintained. The principles of “maintaining the global strategic balance and stability” and “undiminished security for all” must be upheld. Development and deployment of missile defense systems, which is detrimental to global and regional strategic stability, must be abandoned. Multilateral negotiation processes on non-weaponization of the outer space, and prevention of arms race in the outer space must be promoted.

Mr. President,

The Chinese delegation has submitted relevant working papers to the current conference and hopes that they will be fully reflected in the final document of the conference.

Thank you, Mr. President.