China appreciates Kazakhstan’s initiative to convene today's Security Council meeting on non-proliferation. China thanks His Excellency President Nazarbayev for presiding over today's meeting. We thank Secretary-General Guterres for his briefing.

Peace and development remain two overarching themes of our times. However, our world is far from peaceful. Regional hotspots continue to emerge and traditional and non-traditional security threats are on the rise. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems constitute real threats to international peace, security and stability and are common challenges faced by the international community. Owing to the international community's efforts in recent years, there is a growing international consensus on non-proliferation, with non-proliferation mechanisms improving by the day. The non-proliferation capacities of states are increasing with cooperation deepened. We must acknowledge that proliferation risks and challenges remain severe. Some non-proliferation hotspot issues are protracted and intractable. Technological advances have lowered the threshold for proliferation. The risk of non-State actors, and terrorists in particular, acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction is increasing. The authority, universality and effectiveness of the international non-proliferation regime must be enhanced urgently.

President Xi Jinping of China has stressed that no country can respond on its own to the various challenges facing humankind or return to self-imposed isolation. We urge the people of the world to work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind and a world that is open, inclusive, clean and beautiful, with lasting peace, universal security and shared prosperity. China is of the view that strengthening global governance in the area of non-proliferation is an important component for building a community with a shared future for mankind. The international community must therefore enhance cooperation and coordination in multiple dimensions.

First, a commitment to achieving common security is the way to solve the root causes. Non-proliferation is in essence a security issue. Security concerns are the main drivers of proliferation activities. All countries should reject the Cold War mentality, remain resolute in adhering to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, foster a new concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, build a new form of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, and create a security architecture featuring fairness and justice, joint contribution and shared benefits. The United Nations and its Security Council should bring into full play their essential role in ending war and maintaining peace, finding a path to effectively prevent conflicts, and building enduring peace in order to achieve common security for all countries. That will fundamentally eliminate the drivers of proliferation. It is also a fundamental way for all countries to build confidence.

Secondly, it is important to adhere to the peaceful resolution of issues by political and diplomatic means. Confrontation and unrelenting sanctions and pressure will lead only to the escalation of conflict and further increase risks of proliferation. All countries should pursue the path to peaceful resolution and strive to resolve non-proliferation hotspot issues by political and diplomatic means. At present, some positive changes have emerged on the Korean Peninsula. All parties should make a concerted effort to maintain the hard-won momentum of relaxation to create the conditions for relaunching dialogue and negotiations and put the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue back on the right track of settlement through dialogue and negotiation. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is a hard-won and important accomplishment of multilateralism. It is also a model of resolving international hotspot issues by political and diplomatic means. The relevant parties should bear in mind the larger picture and long-term interests, maintain their political will, manage differences properly and continue to fully and effectively implement the JCPOA.

Thirdly, we should constantly consolidate and develop the international non-proliferation regime. With the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Chemical Weapons Convention, Biological Weapons Convention and resolution 1540 (2004) as its legal bases, and with relevant international organizations including the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons as its institutional mechanisms, the international non-proliferation regime is an important component of the global security order and has played a vital role in preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and in maintaining global strategic balance and stability. The international community should effectively maintain the universality, authority and effectiveness of the regime, continue to improve relevant international norms, adhere to equality before norms, and discard double standards and selective approaches. The international non-proliferation regime founded on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons must be maintained, and countries that acquire nuclear weapons illegally must effectively comply with the obligation to denuclearize.

Fourthly, we should enhance States' non-proliferation capacities. The primary responsibility for non-proliferation should be assumed by Governments. Non-proliferation policies developed in accordance with country-specific situations should be respected and supported in order to push for continuous improvement of non-proliferation laws and regulations and to strengthen capacity-building in enforcement. All countries should, in the spirit of openness, inclusion, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, conduct exchanges and practical cooperation in non-proliferation so as to jointly enhance their capacities and the level of non-proliferation. The needs of developing countries for international non-proliferation assistance should be effectively met. At the same time, a comprehensive and balanced approach should be put in place to promote non-proliferation and the use of science and technology for peaceful purposes. Non-proliferation should not be used as an excuse to limit or deprive countries of their rights to use science and technology for peaceful purposes and to promote international cooperation.

China has consistently advocated for peace, development and cooperation, promoted the peaceful settlement of disputes and support the prevention of conflicts. China is firmly opposed to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. China has acceded to all international conventions and joined relevant international organizations in the field of non-proliferation. China has built a complete system of non-proliferation and export control and ensured the effective implementation of relevant laws and regulations. China comprehensively and fully implements relevant Security Council resolutions, actively participates in international and regional cooperation on non-proliferation, supports the United Nations in playing its role in non-proliferation, and commits to pushing for political solution to non-proliferation hotspot issues.

China constructively participated in the negotiation and implementation process of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and contributed its own proposals. China has worked tirelessly to promote settlement of the Korean peninsula nuclear issue through negotiation. China's suspension-for-suspension initiative and dual-track approach, as well as the road map jointly proposed by China and Russia, are realistic and feasible for appropriately resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. China hopes for a positive response and support from all sides on this. Realizing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and preserving peace and stability on the Peninsula is in the interest of all parties. The solidarity of the international community on this issue is critical. China is ready to work with the international community to engage in close communication, build mutual trust, respect each other and strengthen cooperation, so as to make continuous headway in pushing the Korean Peninsula issue towards the direction of proper settlement.

Non-proliferation is a long-term task before the international community. It requires the involvement of all countries. China is a builder of world peace and a guardian of the international non-proliferation regime. China would like to continue to work with all parties in making a greater contribution to enhancing the international non-proliferation regime, advancing global governance in non-proliferation and building a community with a shared future for mankind.