Advocating no-first-use of nuclear weapons and working for the prevention of nuclear war.
In order to prevent and eliminate the danger of nuclear war, the Chinese Government declared on October 16,1964 that China would not be the first to use nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstances. Consequently, the Chinese Government pledged not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones. China adheres to this commitment till today.
China has been promoting the nuclear-weapon states to conclude a multilateral treaty on no-first-use of nuclear weapons against each other. In January 1994, China provided the draft text of a treaty on no-first-use of nuclear weapons against each other to the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom and France, suggesting that the five states start consultations on this issue as soon as possible. At the 49th UNGA, China proposed that the nuclear-weapon-states should immediately negotiate and sign a treaty on no-first-use of nuclear weapons against each other. In April 2000, the five nuclear-weapon states, namely, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States declared in a joint statement that their nuclear weapons were not targeted at any state. Since 2000, China has made repeated calls in the CD for the nuclear-weapon states to undertake not to be the first to use nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstances.
China has made active efforts to reach a commitment with other nuclear-weapon states to no-first-use of nuclear weapons against each other on the bilateral basis. In September 1994, the Presidents of China and Russia made a pledge in their joint statement on no-first-use and de-targeting of nuclear weapons against each other. In June 1998, China and the United States declared de-targeting of nuclear weapons against each other.
(China.org.cn May 12, 2005)
