3 August 2023, Vienna

Mr. Chair,

The complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons and the ultimate establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free world are the common and long-cherished wishes of all countries in the world. Currently, the global security situation is undergoing the most profound changes since the end of the Cold War. Haunted by the Cold War mentality, some countries are obsessed with great power competition, seek absolute strategic advantages, strengthen military alliances, provoke bloc confrontation, and promote forward deployment of strategic forces such as nuclear weapons and missiles, which seriously undermines mutual trust among major powers. Such acts destroy strategic balance and stability, hinder international nuclear disarmament efforts and increase the risk of a nuclear arms race and nuclear conflict.

The international community should practice true multilateralism, uphold a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, resolutely resist the cold war mentality and bloc confrontation, uphold the object and purpose of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), strengthen the universality, authority and effectiveness of the NPT, and jointly promote the international nuclear disarmament process. In this regard, China would like to propose the following:

Firstly, maintain the international consensus on nuclear disarmament. The nuclear-weapon States should follow the principles of “maintaining global strategic stability” and “undiminished security for all”, and nuclear disarmament should be a just and reasonable process of gradual and balanced reduction. Countries with the largest nuclear arsenals must continue to fulfill their special and primary responsibilities for nuclear disarmament, effectively implement the New START Treaty, and further significantly and substantially reduce their nuclear arsenals in a verifiable, irreversible and legally binding manner. Requiring countries with vast difference in nuclear strategies, nuclear policies and numbers of nuclear weapons to undertake the same nuclear disarmament obligations is against the historical and realistic logic, and will surely lead the international nuclear disarmament process to a dead end.

Secondly, strive to reduce strategic risks. In the context of grave and complex challenges to the international security, China unequivocally holds that nuclear weapons cannot be used and nuclear war should never be fought, and that the international community should jointly oppose the threat or use of nuclear weapons. China calls on the five nuclear-weapon States (P5) to make further efforts to reduce strategic risks on the basis of the Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five nuclear-weapon States on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Nuclear Arms Races issued in January last year. At the same time, it should be pointed out that the nuclear forces, nuclear policies, and security environment of nuclear-weapon States are very different, and there are no universally applicable nuclear transparency and nuclear risk reduction measures. Relevant discussions must be carried out step by step to ensure that the security of all countries is not compromised.

Thirdly, effectively reduce the role of nuclear weapons in national and collective security policies. China calls on all nuclear-weapon States to pursue a no-first-use policy, conclude a treaty on the mutual no-first-use of nuclear weapons, and not target their nuclear weapons at any country. China advocates early negotiations of an international legal instrument providing negative security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States at the Conference on Disarmament, and support efforts to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones. Certain country should abandon its development and deployment of global missile defense systems, not seek to deploy land-based intermediate missiles in the Asia-Pacific regions and Europe, stop strengthening the so-called “extended deterrence”, withdraw nuclear weapons deployed abroad to its own territory, and refrain from replicating the “nuclear sharing” arrangement in the Asia-Pacific region.

Fourthly, maintain and strengthen the international nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation regime with NPT as its cornerstone. The international community should advance the three pillars of nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy in a balanced manner, oppose double standards and pragmatism, firmly safeguard the effectiveness and authority of the treaty, and promote the successful start of the eleventh round of the NPT review process. We should resist all kinds of small blocs and small circles, maintain multilateral arms control mechanisms such as the First Committee of the UN General Assembly and the Conference on Disarmament, and give full play to their roles. We should resolutely oppose relevant countries’ cooperation in the nuclear field that runs counter to the object and purpose of the NPT, which are based on narrow geopolitical considerations.

Mr. Chair,

For a long time, China has always pursued a defensive national defense policy, committed itself to promoting the international nuclear arms control process, fulfilled its responsibilities for world peace, and wholeheartedly contributed to global security. China’s possession of nuclear weapons is not aimed at seeking hegemony, but deterring nuclear war; China has never used nuclear weapons to intimidate and bully non-nuclear-weapon States. If all nuclear-weapon states could undertake not to be the first to use nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstances, and unconditionally commit themselves not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free-zones, the world would be a much safer place and a nuclear-weapon-free world would be realized sooner. 

China’s nuclear strategy and nuclear policy are unique among all nuclear-weapon States, with the highest level of stability, continuity and predictability. This is China’s solemn commitment to States parties of the NPT and a major contribution to the cause of international nuclear disarmament. China has earnestly fulfilled its commitments to the NPT and is ready to stay in candid communication with non-nuclear-weapon states on issues of strengthening the NPT review process.

Since the first day that China possessed nuclear weapons, China has actively advocated the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. China has always pursued a nuclear strategy of self-defense. No matter how the international situation changes, China will always maintain its nuclear force at the minimum level required for national security, and will not seek nuclear parity or engage in a nuclear arms race with any nuclear-weapon State. China does not provide nuclear umbrella and does not deploy nuclear weapons abroad.

China actively fulfills its obligations under Article VI of the NPT, and participates constructively in the international nuclear arms control process. China firmly supports the object and purpose of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), abides by the commitment to the “moratorium on nuclear testing”, fully participates in the work of the Preparatory Committee in a constructive manner, and supports the establishment of the treaty’s monitoring and verification mechanism. China supports the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva in reaching a comprehensive and balanced programme of work and carry out negotiations on FMCT in which all relevant parties participate in accordance with the Shannon Mandate. China supports countries in the Middle East in establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, and is willing to take the lead in signing the Protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone.

Mr. Chair,

China believes that the five nuclear-weapon States should work together to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the NPT mechanism, and work together to fully implement all NPT obligations. For a long time, the P5 mechanism has played a unique and positive role in the NPT review process, and should continue to make its special contributions to such process. China has been actively promoting dialogue and cooperation among the P5 with practical actions, and advocates that the P5 further strengthen coordination and cooperation in promoting the NPT review process. China actively participates in nuclear policy exchanges among the P5 and dialogues on reducing strategic risks. On the basis of mutual respect and equality, China is willing to further the in-depth dialogue within the P5 mechanism, focusing on broad issues affecting strategic stability, such as missile defense systems, outer space, cyberspace, and artificial intelligence. 

Mr. Chair,

During the discussions in this cluster, some delegations, out of different motives, talked about China's nuclear policy and other issues. China firmly opposes any accusation with ulterior motives that deliberately distorts China's nuclear strategy and policy. My statement today is also a reply to the remarks above. The Chinese delegation has submitted a working paper on nuclear disarmament to this meeting. China will continue to make its own efforts to promote the international nuclear disarmament process towards ultimately realizing a nuclear-weapon-free world.

 Thank you, Mr. Chair.