Chinese diplomat slams US accusation at disarmament conference

Source:Global Times Published: 2020/7/1 15:12:33

China to join Arms Trade Treaty, supports multilateralism


A missile launching vehicle attached to an air-defense battalion of a combined arms brigade under the PLA 73rd Group Army launches a surface-to-air missile at a simulated aerial target during a whole-process live-fire test on June 21, 2020. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Wang Lei)





Chinese diplomat expressed strong opposition to the US at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva on Tuesday, saying its accusations against China regarding epidemic control and arms control policy were complete nonsense, and called for the US to abandon its Cold War mentality. 

The vicious attack by the US on China over the epidemic is complete nonsense and is an attempt to shirk its domestic and international anti-epidemic responsibility, and their clumsy trick of trying to dump responsibility has long been known to the world, said Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for Disarmament Affairs Li Song.

Speaking at the conference via video link, US disarmament ambassador to the UN Robert Wood made attacks on the Chinese government, accusing China of concealing the epidemic and harming the world. Wood also unreasonably criticized China's nuclear arms control policy and military building, arguing that China poses a major threat to world peace and security.

At the conference, Wood also quoted comments made by Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of the Global Times, who had said China should expand its number of nuclear warheads to 1,000, and demanded that China give an explanation. 

Ambassador Li noted that Hu said doesn't represent China's arms control policy, but his comments do represent the general concerns of the Chinese and international community regarding the hostility and threats from the US. The deep-rooted Cold War mentality cannot make the US stronger again, nor can it bring security to the world, Li said.

It's crystal clear to the world which country poses the greatest and most realistic threat to world peace and security. Whether it's from the perspective of nuclear strategic policies or the scale of its nuclear arsenals, China and the US are totally incomparable, Li stressed. 

In his address at the conference, which had been postponed for three months due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Li said that China will firmly support multilateralism and promote the advancement of international arms control and non-proliferation.

Li said that China will officially join the Arms Trade Treaty. 

The treaty, which came into force in December 2014, aims to regulate the trade of conventional arms and crack down on illicit arms transfers. The US has previously rejected it.

Ambassador Li slammed the US for pursuing unilateralism and exceptionalism and for its withdrawal from a series of important international security and arms control treaties. 

As the superpower with the largest and most advanced nuclear arsenal, the US should shoulder special and priority responsibilities for the drastic reduction of nuclear arsenals, Li said.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a common enemy for all mankind, posing a great challenge to the globe. International cooperation in battling the pandemic testifies to the significance of adhering to multilateralism and international solidarity, which is also the foundation for ensuring the ultimate victory against the pandemic and the building of a community of common destiny. 

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations and the 50th anniversary of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Members of the international community have become increasingly supportive of multilateralism and safeguarding the current international arms control and non-proliferation mechanism, Li pointed out at the conference.

Arms control in the new era must be built on the basis of adhering to commitments, completely abandoning the Cold War mentality, and safeguarding common security, he said.

Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, adopted the decision on joining the Arms Trade Treaty on June 20, which shows that the country has completed all the legal procedures at home and will become a member country of the treaty, Li said. 

The move embodies China's determination and sincerity in supporting multilateralism, and building a community with a shared future for humanity, he noted. "China's participation will also promote the treaty, making it more universal and more effective."

Global Times



Posted in: DIPLOMACY,MILITARY

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