Supporting negative security assurances and nuclear-weapon-free zones and maintaining world peace and stability.

Ever since the possession of nuclear weapons, China has pledged unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones. China is the only state among the five nuclear-weapon states that has done so. China has always attached great importance to and firmly supported security assurances for the non-nuclear-weapon states. In 2000, China reaffirmed its security assurances for the non-nuclear-weapon states in a joint statement issued by the five nuclear-weapon states. Since 2000, China has been urging, at the UNGA First Committee and the CD, other nuclear-weapon states to provide unconditional security assurances to all non-nuclear-weapon states, and to conclude an international legal instrument for this purpose at an early date. China supports the re-establishment of an ad hoc committee on negative security assurances (NSA) at the CD and the immediate commencement of substantive work and negotiation. At the third session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2005 NPT Review Conference, China submitted a working paper on the NSA issue, reiterating the above-mentioned position. For many years, China has voted in favor of the UNGA resolution on "conclusion of effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon states against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons".

China has consistently respected and supported the efforts by non-nuclear-weapon states to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones on the basis of voluntary consultations and agreements freely arrived at. China has long unilaterally undertaken not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones, and has been promoting the conclusion of an international legal instrument for this purpose. At the third session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2005 NPT Review Conference, China submitted a working paper on the issue of nuclear-weapon-free zones, reiterating the above-mentioned position.

China supports the efforts to establish a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. At the third session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2005 NPT Review Conference, China submitted a working paper on the Middle East nuclear issue.

(China.org.cn May 12, 2005)