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Statement by H.E. Mr. Fu Cong Head of the Chinese Delegation at the General Debate at the Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2020 NPT Review Conference

2019-04-29 16:06

(29 April 2019, New York)

Mr. Chairman,

At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, on behalf of the Chinese Delegation, on your election as chairman of this session of the PrepCom for the 2020 NPT Review Conference. I am confident that your experience and wisdom will guide this session to success. The Chinese Delegation assures you of its full support and cooperation.

Mr. Chairman,

The NPT is a vital pillar of the international security architecture and an important legal instrument of the global security governance. For half a century since its entry into force, the NPT has provided a solid institutional guarantee for reducing risks of nuclear war, preventing nuclear proliferation and promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, thus effectively safeguarding international peace, security and development.

The world today is undergoing major development, changes and adjustments. The call for peace and cooperation rather than war and confrontation has become the common voice of the international community. Improving the universality, authority and effectiveness of the NPT remains the major trend of the times. On the other hand, the global security governance deficit is worsening; the uncertain and unstable factors in the international security arena are on the rise. The pursuance of unilateralism, hyping up of big power competition and geopolitical rivalry, and the search for overwhelming military advantage by an individual country have continued to worsen the international security environment and impacted global strategic stability. The international disarmament and arms control regime is under serious erosion and the NPT is facing unprecedented challenges.

Mr. Chairman,

In the face of the historical tide and the current challenges, States Parties to the NPT should embrace the correct trend of the times, strictly adhere to multilateralism, uphold the objectives and principles of the NPT, demonstrate their resolve and commitment to implement the NPT, and strive to forge consensus and narrow differences, so as to advance the NPT review process. We should, in a broader historical perspective, review the historic contributions that the NPT has made over the past 50 years to further strengthen its significant role in preserving international peace and security, and at the same time, look into the coming decades to empower the NPT with a greater meaning of serving global development in the new era. In this connection, China would like to propose the following:

Firstly, continue to improve the international security situation. We should uphold the concept of building a community of shared future for mankind, discard the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game doctrine, and seek peace and security through cooperation. Some country, in pursuit of its absolute security, has been making precalculated attacks of its competitors, which can only aggravate conflicts and worsen the difficult security situation. "A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought." Viewed from the perspective of the future of mankind, this is the red line that cannot be touched. Nuclear-weapon States should abandon the policy of nuclear deterrence with preemptive nuclear strike at its core, curb the impulse for a nuclear arms race, and diminish the role of nuclear weapons in their national security doctrines so as to reduce effectively the risks of nuclear war.

Secondly, stick to the line of pragmatic and effective nuclear disarmament. The complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons is in the interest of all humanity. We should follow the principles of "maintaining global strategic stability" and "undiminished security for all", as well as the step-by-step approach. The countries possessing the largest nuclear arsenals should, in accordance with the consensus of the international community and provisions of the relevant UN documents including GA resolutions, fulfill in earnest their special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament, keep and renew their bilateral nuclear disarmament treaties and take further steps to make drastic and substantive cuts of their nuclear weapons. This will create necessary conditions for attaining the ultimate goal of complete and thorough nuclear disarmament. No nuclear disarmament initiative should run counter to these fundamental principles. All nuclear-weapon States should invariably abandon the policy of first-use of nuclear weapons, undertake unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States and nuclear-weapon-free zones, and to negotiate and conclude an international legal instrument to this end.

Thirdly, keep to the direction of consolidating political and diplomatic solutions to nuclear non-proliferation issues. The JCPOA, as a multilateral agreement already endorsed by the Security Council, should be implemented comprehensively and effectively. Unilaterally withdrawal from and renegading on multilateral agreement, imposition of unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction" solely out of one's own political agenda and in disregard of the shared aspiration and interest of the international community only serve to undermine the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and peace and stability in the Middle East. On the Korean Peninsula, the current momentum for dialogue and detente is hard won. The parties concerned should remain patient, move steadfastly in the correct direction of pushing for denuclearization on the peninsula and establishing a mechanism for peace there, and play a constructive role to this end. Promoting the establishment of a Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other WMDs in the Middle East is of great practical significance for maintaining peace and security in the region. All parties should actively implement the Decision of the 73th GA session and facilitate the successful convening of the related conference to create a favorable condition for a successful Review Conference next year.

Fourthly, tap the enormous potential of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The peaceful uses of nuclear energy, as an inalienable right empowered by the NPT, represent an important means for the international community to meet in unison the challenge of climate change, increase the driving force for global economic development, and achieve green development and the SDGs by 2030. Promoting cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy is a noble mission in the new era of service development. The current round of the NPT review process should step up research on this and try to come up with pragmatic and effective initiatives for cooperation that benefit all parties. At the same time, such cooperation should not be politicized. Much less should it be used as a tool for major power competition. All parties should properly balance the relations between nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and, under the NPT framework, bolster cooperation on nuclear energy and take effective steps to provide developing countries with more resources.

Fifthly, faithfully safeguard the NPT mechanism. It is imperative to increase dialogue and urge the countries concerned to accede to the NPT as non-nuclear-weapon States without preconditions and further delay. It is also imperative to respect the outcomes of previous NPT Review Conferences and treat the three pillars in a balanced manner. The IAEA should be supported in carrying out its work in an independent, objective and impartial way by avoiding politicization of its work.

Mr. Chairman,

China firmly pursues the path of peaceful development, upholds a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and actively pushes for building a community of shared future for mankind. China's development is an opportunity rather than a challenge. China's development is a contribution to peace rather than a threat to stability. China poses no threat to any country. It has no intention to start a strategic competition with anyone. It will never pursue its own absolute security at the expense of any country. China's splendid achievements in its reform and opening-up have benefited from its practice of multilateralism and international rules. Deepening its reform and opening-up objectively requires that China continue its role as a defender of multilateralism and international rules. Firmly safeguarding the NPT regime represents a logical choice for China. China has submitted to this PrepCom its National Report on the Implementation of the NPT, which contains a comprehensive description of China's achievements in honoring its NPT commitments. As a practical measure taken by China in promoting progress in the NPT review process, this reflects China's firm political support for the Treaty.

For decades, China has shown maximum transparency with respect to its nuclear strategy, exercised great restraint in developing its nuclear force and taken extreme caution in its policy related to the use of nuclear weapons. China has consistently adhered to a nuclear strategy of self-defence; it has strictly honored its commitment not to be the first to use nuclear weapons and not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States and nuclear-weapon-free zones; it has kept its nuclear force at the minimal level required by national security. Be it during the Cold War when it was facing nuclear threats and blackmail or in the complex and fluid international security situation of today, China's nuclear strategy and policy were and still are founded on its defensive character, always highly stable, coherent and consistent. Adopting such a strategy and policy is a strategic choice out of consideration for China's own security, a concrete manifestation of China's new security concept and an inherent requirement in China's effort to build a community of shared future for mankind.

China firmly opposes nuclear proliferation in whatever forms and participates in the political resolution of regional nuclear proliferation issues in a responsible manner. China firmly safeguards and implements the JCPOA and will continue to uphold the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese businesses. China strives to maintain the momentum for dialogue and detente in the Korean Peninsula, and firmly supports the establishment of a Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other WMDs in the Middle East and of the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. China attaches great importance to the role of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in green and sustainable development, firmly supports relevant international cooperation and commits itself to providing more public products, through IAEA and other multilateral and bilateral mechanisms, to the international community, particularly developing countries with a view to serving common development.

On January 30, China successfully hosted, as the coordinator of the P5 cooperation mechanism, a formal annual conference for the P5 in Beijing under the theme of "Strengthening P5 Coordination and Safeguarding the NPT Regime". The conference had in-depth discussions on strategic stability and major issues in the field of multilateral arms control. It sent out a clear political signal that the P5 are committed to safeguarding the NPT regime. China will continue to work for forging consensus among the P5 , and replace major power competition and zero-sum game with big power coordination and win-win cooperation in a bid to contribute to peace, stability and development in the world.

Finally, may I conclude by reaffirming the Chinese delegation's readiness to cooperate fully with other delegations in a push for a positive outcome at this PrepCom session in order to lay a good foundation for a successful Review Conference in 2020.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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