By Liu Xuanzun and Guo Yuandan

-‘document injects positive energy, safeguards developing nations’ rights’

CHINA’S State Council Information Office on Thursday released a white paper titled “China’s Arms Control, Disarmament, and Nonproliferation in the New Era.” An expert told the Global Times that at a time when the existing international arms control mechanisms are facing challenges, the white paper issued by China injects positive energy into the global arms control and nonproliferation process and fully safeguards the rights of developing countries.

Apart from the preface, conclusion, and annexes, the white paper has five sections: “Grim Realities: International Security and Arms Control,” “Position and Policies: China’s Arms Control in the New Era,” “Playing a Constructive Role in International Arms Control,” “Leading International Security Governance in Emerging Fields,” and “Strengthening International Cooperation on Nonproliferation and Peaceful Uses of Science and Technology.”

The white paper reiterated that China upholds a firm commitment to a policy of no-first use of nuclear weapons and a nuclear strategy of self-defence. It said that China was compelled to make the strategic choice to develop nuclear weapons at a particular point in history to deal with nuclear threats and blackmail, break the existing nuclear monopoly, and prevent nuclear wars. China’s nuclear weapons are not intended to threaten other countries, but for defence and self-protection. China has never used nuclear weapons to threaten other countries nor deployed nuclear weapons outside its own territories and has never provided a nuclear umbrella for other countries.

Whether confronted with nuclear threats or blackmail during the Cold War, or in a complex international security environment with growing strategic security threats at present, China has always committed to its policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons, firmly upheld a nuclear strategy of self-defence, and promoted the modernization of its nuclear forces to safeguard China’s own strategic security and overall global strategic stability, according to the white paper.

The white paper noted that China properly develops missile technologies for self-defence. China has a vast territory and must deal with a complex and volatile security environment. To safeguard its security and sovereignty and deter wars, China requires modern military equipment and capabilities adapted to its conditions and needs. China’s development of missile technologies and missile defence capabilities is motivated exclusively by self-defense and does not target any country or region.

“Amid the current turbulent international security landscape, frequent outbreaks of regional conflicts, and severe challenges to the existing international arms control mechanisms, China’s release of the white paper injects positive energy into the global arms control and nonproliferation process. It demonstrates China’s active efforts to advance international arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation, highlighting China’s role as a responsible major country and its positive and constructive contributions,” Guo Xiaobing, Director of the Centre for Arms Control Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Thursday.

China previously issued white papers on arms control in 1995 and 2005. Pointing out new highlights in the new version, Guo told the Global Times that this white paper, for the first time, puts forward China’s vision for arms control – justice, co-operation, balance and effectiveness – emphasising the balance of rights and obligations. It explicitly opposes abusing the concept of national security and export control measures and exerting restrictions on developing countries’ rights to peaceful use of technology, Guo said.

Second, it is the first time to specifically address international security governance in emerging fields, detailing governance in the areas of outer space, cyberspace, and artificial intelligence, Guo said, noting that China advocates for strengthening the construction of a global governance system that takes into account the positions and interests of developing countries.

Third, the white paper summarises China’s arms control policies and practices since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, highlighting many new practices and approaches. For example, in the field of nuclear arms control, in 2024, China submitted a working paper to the second session of the Preparatory Committee for the Eleventh Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), calling on the five nuclear-weapon states to conclude a treaty on mutual no-first-use of nuclear weapons, and also maintaining that nuclear-weapon states should undertake not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states, Guo said.

Guo believes that the release of this white paper fully demonstrates the transparency of China’s nuclear policy to the international community. He said that “since possessing nuclear weapons, China has consistently and clearly adhered to the policy of no-first use of nuclear weapons, which is of great significance in avoiding the risk of nuclear conflict and maintaining global strategic stability.”

The white paper said that China upholds a firm commitment to a policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons and a nuclear strategy of self-defence, stressing that China’s greatest contribution to international nuclear arms control lies in the fact that it has the most stable, consistent and predictable nuclear policy among all nuclear-weapon states. “China’s nuclear weapons policy has remained remarkably consistent since 1964, consistently keeping its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required for national security,” the expert noted.

The white paper highlighted that “China has always exercised the utmost restraint regarding the scale and development of its nuclear weapons. It never has and never will engage in any nuclear arms race with any other country in terms of level of expenditure, quantity, or scale of nuclear weapons. In order to demonstrate its determination to avoid provoking a nuclear arms race, China has conducted the smallest number of nuclear tests among all nuclear weapon states and has closed down its nuclear weapon research and production facilities in areas including Chongqing and Qinghai.” “In September 2024, China notified relevant countries in advance of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean,” read the white paper.

Guo said that by publicly presenting these facts in the white paper, China demonstrates its efforts in participating in and advancing the international arms control and disarmament process. It clearly conveys China’s nuclear intentions to the outside world and represents a significant endeavour to enhance trust between China and other countries.

In the chapter “Playing a Constructive Role in International Arms Control,” the white paper urged Japan to thoroughly destroy the chemical weapons it abandoned in China. During World War II, in flagrant violation of international law, invading Japanese troops used chemical weapons on a large scale in China. A total of 1,791 instances of chemical weapon use has been documented with confirmed dates, locations, and casualty records. The resulting casualties exceeded 200,000. After its defeat, Japan abandoned a large quantity of chemical weapons in China to cover up its crimes. Since the end of World War II, these abandoned chemical weapons have resulted in more than 2,000 poisoning casualties, gravely endangered the lives and property of the Chinese people as well as the environment.

“The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) clearly stipulates that a state party which has abandoned chemical weapons on the territory of another state party shall provide all necessary financial, technical, expert, facility as well as other resources for the purpose of destroying these weapons. After the CWC entered into force, the governments of China and Japan signed two memorandums, in 1999 and 2012, on destroying the chemical weapons abandoned by Japan, to advance the destruction process. However, due to insufficient attention and input from the Japanese side, the destruction plan has missed four deadlines. To date, the Japanese side has not yet provided comprehensive, detailed and accurate information on the whereabouts of its abandoned chemical weapons. Progress in excavation and recovery in some regions has been slow; there are still technological bottlenecks in underwater and underground detection; and the treatment of contaminated waters and soil remains unresolved,” reads the white paper.

Guo said that the extended section on chemical weapons abandoned by Japan in the white paper reflects China’s expectation for Japan to actively co-operate in eliminating the threats posed by these weapons. This includes providing comprehensive, detailed, and accurate information regarding the locations of chemical weapons abandoned by Japan in China, increasing investment, and collaborating with China to complete the necessary disposal work. The white paper also emphasises that destroying its abandoned chemical weapons in China is Japan’s unshirkable historical, political and legal responsibility, and also an international obligation stipulated by the CWC.

Introducing the white paper, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference on Thursday that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN. At this significant historical juncture, the Chinese government’s release of the white paper is of great importance, demonstrating China’s sense of responsibility and commitment as a major country in actively leading global security governance and upholding international peace and security.

When asked about the white paper, Jiang Bin, a spokesperson at the Chinese Defense Ministry, said at a regular press conference on Thursday that China has consistently participated constructively in global security governance, striving to advance the processes of international arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation, and has played an important role in promoting world peace and stability.

No matter how the international landscape may change, China will work with all peace-loving nations to improve global security governance, uphold international fairness and justice, advance the multilateral arms control process, maintain global strategic stability, and inject more certainty and positive energy into a world of turmoil and transformation, jointly building a community with a shared future for humanity, Jiang said.