(10 March 2026, Geneva)

Mr. President,

I thank you for convening this plenary meeting and appreciate Mr. Angel Horna, Coordinator of the Subsidiary Body 1 of the 2025 Conference on Disarmament, for his introductory remarks. Under the current circumstances, it is highly imperative to conduct substantive discussions on the issue of “Cessation of the Nuclear Arms Race.”

China has consistently advocated addressing both the symptoms and root causes of problems. We believe that to tackle the rising risks of a nuclear arms race, it is imperative to identify its fundamental drivers.

From the perspective of current international security realities, the fundamental cause behind the escalating risks of a nuclear arms race lies in the growing deficits in peace and security. A series of events since the beginning of this year have once again proved that hegemonic acts such as bullying the weak, seizing assets through deceit, and zero-sum games pose grave dangers. The world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. Principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, including the prohibition on the threat or use of force, non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, have been violated. The law of the jungle and the rule of the strong prevail, severely undermining the international order based on international law. Obsession with cold war mentality, pursuing absolute security and absolute strategic advantage, continuously expanding military capabilities, and provoking military confrontations have led to a widespread rise in insecurity among nations, prompting them to strengthen their military capacities for self-defense. This constitutes the primary driver fueling arms races, including the nuclear arms race.

Another critical factor contributing to the heightened risks of a nuclear arms race is the severe erosion of multilateralism, the international arms control regime, and global strategic stability. The international arms control system serves as a vital guarantee for global strategic stability. In recent years, the successive collapse of treaties such as the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty has left the global nuclear arms control governance framework in a dire situation of partial collapse and lack of momentum, weakening constraints on nuclear arms races. Concurrently, regional nuclear proliferation risks have escalated, with issues such as nuclear sharing and “friendly proliferation” becoming increasingly prominent, seriously undermining the international nuclear non-proliferation mechanism.

Mr. President,

As pointed out in the Final Document of the SSOD-I, there is a close relationship between disarmament and development. Progress in the former would help greatly in the realization of the latter. Significant progress in disarmament, including nuclear disarmament, would be facilitated by parallel measures to strengthen the security of States and to improve the international situation in general. The rising risks of a nuclear arms race not only exacerbate the threat of nuclear conflict but also divert substantial resources, hindering economic development and improvements in people’s livelihoods.

In response to the challenge of escalating nuclear arms race risks, China firmly believes that all parties should uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, abandon Cold War thinking, respect each other’s legitimate security concerns, continuously improve the international security environment, effectively safeguard global strategic stability, fundamentally eliminate the drivers of nuclear arms races, and advance the nuclear disarmament process.

Mr. President,

Regarding the situation in Iran, China’s position can be summarized in one phrase: “ceasefire and end hostilities.” This is a war that should never have occurred and one that benefits no party.

Military strikes launched by the United States and Israel against Iran have abruptly escalated regional tensions. China opposes and condemns the use or threat of force in international relations. The sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Iran and all countries in the Gulf region must be fully respected and must not be infringed upon. The world cannot revert to the law of the jungle; force is not the correct way to resolve international disputes, and civilians must not become innocent victims of war.

China has consistently advocated resolving issues through political and diplomatic means. We call for an immediate halt to military actions to prevent the spread and spillover of conflict and avoid further escalation of the situation. All parties should promptly return to the negotiating table, resolve differences through equal dialogue, and make concerted efforts to achieve common security.

Thank you, Mr. President.