China stresses non-first-use nuclear pledge
Urges cooperation from UN Security Council, more proliferation vigilance
A senior Chinese diplomat said Saturday that the country is committed to the principle of non-first-use of nuclear weapons, and expressed concern about the danger of nuclear proliferation at present at the ongoing Munich Security Conference (MSC). “China maintains a very small nuclear arsenal, and China follows the policy of self-defense and minimum deterrence,” said Fu Ying, a veteran diplomat and now chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature.
China is also committed to the principle of non-first-use of nuclear weapons, and under no circumstances will China use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against nonnuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones, she added.
Fu made the remarks at an MSC panel discussion concerning nuclear security during which some participants expressed concerns over nuclear proliferation.
“I share and express the concern about the danger, about the risk of nuclear development,” said Fu, who added that so far after many decades, the world has managed to prevent a major nuclear war, but the challenges and dangers are growing.
She noted that it is important that the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, namely China, the United States, Russia, Britain and France, maintain their efforts and continue to take responsibility to uphold global strategic stability, safeguard the non-proliferation regime, and to continue nuclear disarmament.
China is also in support of the Comprehensive Nuclear-TestBan Treaty (CTBT), added Fu.
She also called for efforts to upgrade global security governance.
“We need to think about how to upgrade global security governance to reflect the highly integrated global economy,” said Fu.
“China supports and advocates the idea of common security for all,” she said, stressing that China proposes and is committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind.