United Nations, March 3 (ZXS) -- When the United Nations Security Council deliberated on the nuclear issue of the Ukraine crisis on March 31, Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said that China calls on all nuclear-weapon states to effectively reduce the risk of nuclear war and avoid any armed conflict between nuclear-weapon states.
On the same day, Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, made a briefing saying that Russia announced on the 25th that it would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. The risk of the use of nuclear weapons is higher today than at any time since the cold war. It should be noted that all States should refrain from any action that could escalate the situation, lead to errors and miscalculations, and all States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons must strictly abide by their commitments and obligations.
Geng Shuang said that nuclear weapons are the "sword of Damocles" hanging over the heads of mankind. China's position on the issue of nuclear weapons is clear and consistent. From the first day of possession of nuclear weapons, China has firmly pursued a nuclear strategy of self-defence and has always abided by its commitment not to be the first to use nuclear weapons at any time or under any circumstances. China also unequivocally undertakes to refrain unconditionally from the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free zones. China is the only nuclear-weapon State that has made such a commitment.
Geng Shuang said that China attaches great importance to the cornerstone status of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in the field of international nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation, firmly upholds the authority, effectiveness and universality of the Treaty, advocates the gradual advancement of the nuclear disarmament process, the eventual complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, calls for the abolition of the "nuclear sharing" arrangement, and maintains that all nuclear-weapon States should not deploy nuclear weapons outside their territories and should withdraw their nuclear weapons deployed abroad.
Geng Shuang said: Mutual trust and cooperation between major countries is the fundamental guarantee for maintaining global strategic stability. In January last year, the leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states issued a joint statement stressing that "a nuclear war cannot be won and cannot be fought" and reaffirmed that nuclear weapons will not be aimed at each other or any other country. The special importance of this historic statement is all the more important in the context of the current tensions between the nuclear-weapon States. China calls on all nuclear-weapon States to abide by the concept of the statement, effectively reduce the risk of nuclear war and avoid the outbreak of any armed conflict among nuclear-weapon States.
Geng Shuang said that China's position on the Ukraine issue is also clear and consistent. Not long ago, China issued the document "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis", which comprehensively expounded China's position and proposition. This includes opposing armed attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities such as nuclear power plants, stressing that nuclear weapons cannot be used or warn, opposing the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, preventing nuclear proliferation, and avoiding nuclear crises.
Geng Shuang said: The recent series of events have once again proved that it is better than later to restart dialogue and negotiations and promote political settlement. All parties should exercise rationality and restraint, refrain from aggravating tensions, intensifying contradictions, and not adding fuel to the fire, stop all actions that prolong the war, and avoid further deterioration or even loss of control of the crisis. The international community should enhance its sense of urgency to persuade peace and promote talks and create conditions for the early resumption of negotiations. China will continue to play a constructive role in ceasefire and cessation of fighting, easing the crisis and restoring peace. (End)