Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

The Chinese Foreign Ministry released on Monday the national report of China on the implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The ministry's spokesperson said on the same day that China's nuclear policy has injected stability and certainty into the world.

At present, profound changes unseen in a century are unfolding across the world at a faster pace, and the global strategic security landscape is undergoing profound shifts. Cold War mentality, hegemonism and bullying have seen a resurgence, according to the report published on the Foreign Ministry's website. 

The law of the jungle and gunboat diplomacy have re-emerged, exacerbating regional conflicts and arms races, eroding the international arms control and non-proliferation regime, and posing a severe threat to global strategic stability. Certain countries pursue absolute strategic superiority, stoke bloc confrontation, willfully resort to the use of force, and arbitrarily withdraw from international treaties and mechanisms, which have become the primary source of chaos undermining international order and fueling global turbulence, per the report.

The report noted that the Chinese government has consistently advocated the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. It supports the international community in advancing nuclear disarmament goal in a step-by-step manner under the principles of upholding global strategic stability and undiminished security for all countries.

China adheres to its policy of "no first use" of nuclear weapons, pursues a self-defensive nuclear strategy, and does not engage in any nuclear arms race with any country. It maintains the highest level of nuclear transparency to the greatest extent without compromising national security, actively promotes measures to mitigate nuclear risks, and makes due contributions to the ultimate goal of nuclear weapon-free world.

When asked about China's expectations on the 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT, which will take place from April 27 to May 22, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the Chinese government submitted the National Report to the 11th NPT Review Conference on April 17. This is China's latest effort to take voluntary and transparent measures to enhance mutual trust and build a good atmosphere for the Review Conference.

China is committed to a nuclear strategy that focuses on self-defense and follows a policy of "no first use" of nuclear weapons. China always keeps its nuclear strength at the minimum level required by national security and will never participate in a nuclear arms race. All the above commitments have injected stability and certainty to the world, Guo said.

The report believes that the Review Conference should urge the US to fulfill its special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament, stop armed attacks on nuclear facilities for peaceful purposes in non-nuclear-weapon party states, stop building nuclear alliances based on nuclear sharing arrangements, take measures to hold back the negative moves of countries like Japan to possess nuclear weapons, and properly settle the nuclear proliferation risks brought by nuclear submarine cooperation among the US, the UK and Australia, the spokesperson said.

"China will participate in the NPT Review Conference in a constructive way, and will work with all parties to jointly safeguard the authority and effectiveness of international nuclear non-proliferation regime, and promote world peace and global strategic stability," Guo added.

Global Times