(25 July, 2024)

Mr. Chair,

The complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, and the ultimate realization of a world free of nuclear weapons,  serve the common interests of mankind. Non-nuclear-weapon States fulfill obligations not to develop or acquire nuclear weapons, so they deserve the right not to be threatened by nuclear weapons. The provision by nuclear-weapon States of legally binding security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States is conducive to maintaining global strategic stability, reducing strategic risks, and advancing nuclear disarmament. China has submitted the working paper on Security Assurances, we hope the Preparatory Committee will have an in-depth discussion on this and try to include the following propositions in the outcome documents:

First, the Conference on Disarmament (CD) should start substantive work as soon as possible on concluding an international legal instrument on not using or threatening to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free-zones. Before concluding the international legal instrument, all of the nuclear-weapon States should make public statements to undertake not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free zones at any time and under any circumstances.

Second, Nuclear-weapon States should support the efforts of establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones, respect the legal status of nuclear-weapon-free zones, sign and ratify the relevant protocols to nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties, and take concrete measures to implement relevant safety assurances. Relevant parties should support the establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction, and sign the protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone as soon as possible. Nuclear-weapon States and non-nuclear-weapon States should all refrain from taking actions that would undermine or damage the position of nuclear-weapon-free zones.

Third, Nuclear-weapon States should diminish the role of nuclear weapons in their national or collective security policies, abandon the nuclear deterrence policy based on the first use of nuclear weapons, refrain from making tailored nuclear deterrence policy against other countries, refrain from listing any country as the target of nuclear strike, reduce the alert status, and refrain from targeting nuclear weapons at any other country. China encourages the five nuclear-weapon States to negotiate and conclude a treaty on “mutual no-first-use of nuclear weapons” or issue a political statement in this regard, and has submitted the relevant working paper.

Fourth, the relevant nuclear-weapon State should abandon the arrangement of nuclear sharing and extended deterrence, and withdraw all nuclear weapons deployed abroad back to its own territories. Before achieving this goal, the relevant nuclear weapon States and non-nuclear-weapon States should be transparent about the arrangements above, and clarify whether they have breached Article 1 and 2 of the NPT. Meanwhile, in the context of concluding the international legal instrument on security assurances, the international community should have in-depth discussions on the rights and obligations of non-nuclear-weapon States participating in the arrangements of nuclear sharing and extended deterrence.

Mr. Chair,

China undertakes not to be the first to use nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstances, and unconditionally commits itself not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free-zones. Thirty years ago, in January 1994, China submitted the “Draft Treaty on No-First Use of Nuclear Weapons" to the other four nuclear-weapon States and since then has been encouraging other nuclear-weapon States to commit to no-first use of nuclear weapons on a bilateral or multilateral basis. China supports the Conference on Disarmament (CD) to start substantive work on concluding an international legal instrument on Security Assurances as soon as possible. China is open to any proposals or measures that will help to promote the progress of security assurances. China has signed and ratified all relevant protocols to nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties in the regions including Latin America, South Pacific, Africa and Central Asia. China respects Mongolia's nuclear-weapon-free status. China reiterates its readiness to take the lead in signing the Protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone. China will continue to make unremitting efforts with the international community to properly address security assurances issues.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.