The National Missile Defense (NMD), pressed by the US for its own absolute security, will greatly shake the foundation of nuclear disarmament, Chinese Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs Hu Xiaodi said in United Nations Tuesday.
"The Chinese delegation finds the international nuclear disarmament efforts at crossroads," Hu told the 2001 Session of U. N. Disarmament Commission.
Hu said that the crux of matter lies in US pushing ahead with NMD, which will pollute security environment and hinder nuclear disarmament. He warned that the deployment of NMD will cause grave consequences.
"It is in essence a disguised form of unilateral nuclear arms expansion, which will severely hinder the international arms control and disarmament process and even trigger off a new round of arms race," he said.
Stressing that the deployment of NMD will severely disrupt global strategic balance and undermine mutual trust among major countries, he noted it will seriously undermine the international non-proliferation regime and efforts.
"It will give rise to the military factor in international relations to the detriment of international peace and security," Hu added.
Hu said that the introduction of the Theater Missile Defense ( TMD) as a part of NMD into Asia and the Pacific will do no good to peace and security in the region, in a time when efforts of the countries concerned have recently paid off and made regional hot spots gradually cool down.
"To maintain world peace and regional stability serves best the fundamental and long-term interests of the 1.2 billion Chinese people. China will strive for a long-term peaceful international environment and a good surrounding environment, and work for the lasting peace and common security of all countries in the world," he concluded.
(Xinhua 04/11/2001)
