If China's attitude toward global nuclear security was taken as unclear, the Thursday announcement that President Hu Jintao will attend the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit should dispel any lingering doubts. In fact, the country has actively participated in the summit's preparations.

As a responsible world power keeping a comparatively small nuclear cache, China has always been opposed to nuclear proliferation and terrorism. It announced long ago that it will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against states without nuclear weapons or in nuclear-free zones.

There has been greater pressure on China to become an important force in maintaining world peace and security. President Hu's participation at the summit, to be held in Washington on April 12-13, again sends the message that the country is committed to global nuclear security.

With more than 40 heads of state expected to attend, the summit is expected to be an important platform for discussing nuclear issues and could be a positive move toward a world free of nuclear weapons.

Given that another important international nuclear conference is scheduled in May, we hope that the Washington summit can bridge gaps among nations on issues of nuclear security.

With more than 23,000 nuclear weapons in the world and a few countries vying to become a member of the nuclear club, the prospect of nuclear security is by no means optimistic.

In the applauded nuclear deal between Washington and Moscow recently, the world's two nuclear superpowers agreed to cut their nuclear arms by 30 percent. Even if the treaty is eventually carried out to the letter, it does not change the fact that the two countries still have more than 90 percent of the world's total arsenal.

Therefore, without stronger international commitment in promoting nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, a nuclear-free world will be akin to building a castle in the air.