Madam President,

This is the 10th time that the IAEA Member States, according to the suggestion by China, have discussed the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation under a standalone agenda item. Since the 66th General Conference in last September, there have been two new developments on the AUKUS issue in the Agency. First, the AUKUS partners formally announced the nuclear submarine cooperation plan, and Australia proposed to invoke Article 14 of the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) and consult with the Secretariat on relevant safeguards arrangement. Second, discussions among Member States on AUKUS have further deepened, with more Member States recognizing the impact and challenges that this issue poses to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and the IAEA safeguards system, and participating more actively in the discussion process.

In light of the evolving situation, at the March, June and September meetings of the Board of Governors, relevant parties held in-depth discussions on matters such as the nature and far-reaching impact of the AUKUS cooperation, the historical practice of the development and improvement of the Agency's safeguards system, application of article 14, and the role of the Secretariat, etc. China has seriously participated in these discussions and advocated an open, inclusive, transparent and sustainable intergovernmental discussion process. Last May, China organized a seminar on AUKUS at the Vienna International Center, views expressed during which has been noted in INFCIRC/1091. During the first meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT, AUKUS has once again become a focus of attention for States Parties. A side event on AUKUS was co-hosted by Russian and Chinese think tanks, and the Permanent Mission of Australia also held a side event on this issue. States Parties to the NPT held in-depth discussions on various aspects of AUKUS, including its impact on the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.

Madam President, Colleagues,

The AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation not only poses a severe impact upon the security of the world and especially the Asia-Pacific region, but also represents a grave challenge to the international non-proliferation regime and the IAEA safeguards system. This is the first time for nuclear-weapon States to cooperate with a non-nuclear-weapon State in military alliance on nuclear-powered submarines, which involves the transfer of nuclear naval propulsion reactor and weapon-grade nuclear materials. This act crosses the threshold of nuclear proliferation and constitutes grave proliferation risks. Such cooperation runs counter to the object and purpose of the NPT, and it is a typical act of unilateralism and double standards.

AUKUS clearly cannot be regarded as a routine safeguards issue. Due to AUKUS, it is difficult to form a unified paradigm for "naval nuclear propulsion" (NNP) within the Agency’s framework. The fact that the application of Article 14 to the Brazilian nuclear submarine programme is not controversial illustrates that there is a significant and fundamental difference between AUKUS cooperation and the programme of Brazil, like the difference between oranges and apples.

Safeguards arrangement on AUKUS involves complex political, security, non-proliferation, legal and technical issues, many of which involve new areas not covered by the Agency's routine safeguards practice. Intergovernmental discussions this year have shown that there are clear and profound differences of views and concerns among Member States on these issues. Whether and how Article 14 can be applied to AUKUS cannot be interpreted and decided by AUKUS partners and the Secretariat alone.

Given the complexity and sensitivity of AUKUS related issues, any arrangement aimed at addressing or resolving them will create an important precedent and have a significant impact on the improvement and development of the IAEA safeguards system and relevant safeguards practices. Whether and how such a precedent can be applied to other countries in the future will also have an immeasurable and far-reaching impact on global and regional security and on the authority, integrity and effectiveness of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. It will also inevitably affect the authority and universality of the IAEA safeguards system. All these are major issues that must be taken seriously, considered deeply, and handled properly by Member States, including the AUKUS partners.

Madam President, colleagues,

Each and every important improvement and development of the IAEA safeguards system has been achieved through consensus-based and Member-State-driven processes, with broad participation of Member States. The important tradition of inclusiveness and consensus ensures that the IAEA safeguards system keeps pace with the time and maintains and strengthens its universality, on the basis of universal recognition by Member States. Maintaining this tradition is in the common interests of all Member States, including the AUKUS partners.

In the process of improving and developing the Agency's safeguards system, there has been and will be many different views and concerns among Member States, and it is necessary to work towards consensus through arduous discussions, consultations and negotiations. This is a stage where genuine multilateralism cannot hide from or bypass. Australia, the US, and the UK tells us that the AUKUS cooperation is a long-term process. Discussions on AUKUS among the Member States are just at an initial step. Member States have sufficient time and patience to properly address challenges brought by AUKUS through intergovernmental discussions.

AUKUS has also posed new challenges to the role of the Secretariat. Parties expressing different opinions about the role of the Secretariat should not be labeled as challenging the independence and professionalism of the Secretariat. These differences should and must be fully discussed between and among Member States in order to achieve consensus, which will then serve as the basis for the Secretariat plays its due role. As the Director General has put it, the Secretariat is willing to listen carefully to the different views of the Member States on the issue of AUKUS. It is China’s hope that the Secretariat will fully listen to and respect the different views from Member States and will facilitate the intergovernmental discussion of the AUKUS issue. At the same time, the Secretariat should also keep Member States fully and timely informed of the developments of the AUKUS issue and the Secretariat’s interactions with the AUKUS partners.

Madam President, Colleagues,

On the issue of AUKUS, China has its own position, views and propositions. At the same time, we always believe that, in the spirit of genuine multilateralism and the Vienna Spirit, challenges brought about by AUKUS should be addressed jointly by Member States of the IAEA. China’s views and propositions are China’s contribution to the intergovernmental discussion; we are willing to listen carefully to the views of all other parties, including those of the AUKUS partners and take an active part in the intergovernmental discussions. We have no intention to impose our propositions to anybody; nor should, in our opinion, the AUKUS partners impose their propositions to the rest of Member States.

Member States expressing different views on aspects of the AUKUS issue and participating in the intergovernmental discussions should not be labeled as politicization. After all, AUKUS is not a matter between certain countries but a matter between the AUKUS partners and the rest of IAEA Member States. Safeguards arrangements on AUKUS cannot be handled and addressed privately by the AUKUS partners and the Secretariat. Communication between the AUKUS partners and the Secretariat should not become a mechanism or process independent from the current intergovernmental discussion process in the Agency.

China appeals to all IAEA Member States to jointly and firmly advance the open, inclusive, transparent and sustainable intergovernmental discussion process in a highly responsible manner for the international non-proliferation regime and the IAEA safeguards system, and appropriately address the new practices and the new challenges in the field of safeguards brought by AUKUS. We once again urge the AUKUS partners to respond with concrete actions to the concerns of the international community, fulfil their nuclear non-proliferation obligations in good faith, and engage, on the basis of equality and mutual respect, in candid and transparent communications with other Member States.  I, together with my team, stand ready to continue dialogue and cooperation with all Member States, including the AUKUS partners, in a responsible and professional manner.

Thank you, Madam President.