China makes consistent efforts in arms control

Arms control and disarmament have become key contents in the white papers on China's National Defense issued by the State Council since 1998.

The 2004 white paper--issued on Dec. 27--followed the formula by highlighting the country's progress in arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation as well as the country's new propositions in these fields, said an article in Tuesday's China Daily Opinion column.

The Chinese Government is committed to preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), a significant step that can affect the development of humankind, it said.

The proliferation of WMD and their means of delivery is detrimental to world peace and security, as well as to China's own security, the paper said, adding that the international community is of one mind on this, and non-proliferation is in the common interest of all countries.

In 2003, the Chinese Government published a white paper entitled China's Non-Proliferation Policy and Measures. China has put in place a comprehensive legal system for non-proliferation export control, covering the exports of nuclear, biological, chemical, missile and other sensitive items and technologies, it said.

China adopted international export control measures, including export registration, end-user and end-use certification, licensing, list control and a "catch-all" principle, and has put in place penalties for breaches of these laws and regulations.

China has actively developed its relations with relevant multilateral export-control regimes. It has formally joined the Nuclear Suppliers Group and has applied for accession to the Missile Technology Control Regime.

Outside its borders, the Chinese Government has been actively promoting the international arms control and disarmament process.

In August 2003, in order to break a deadlock at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, China accepted an amendment to the mandate of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space.

Since the day China developed its first nuclear weapon, the country has been actively promoting complete prohibition and thorough destruction of all such weapons, the article said.

It supports the efforts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Central Asian countries and other neighboring countries to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones and has reached agreements in principle with ASEAN countries on the Protocol to the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty.

Meanwhile, China was the first among nuclear weapon states to have completed domestic legal procedures necessary for entry into the Protocol Additional to the Agreement Between China and IAEA for the Application of Safeguards in China.

The country has received 11 inspections by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in 2003.

Meanwhile China attaches great importance to solving the problems caused by landmines. While strictly implementing the Amended Landmine Protocol, it is strengthening communication with member states of the Ottawa Convention.

Having joined the Mine Action Support Group in 2003, China has been providing assistance in international mine clearance efforts.

China and the Australian Network of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) co-sponsored the Humanitarian Mine/UXO Clearance Technology and Co-operation Workshop in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, in April 2004.

Source: Xinhua