Information Office of the State Council Of the People's Republic of China
November 1995, Beijing
Foreword
As the world marks the 50th anniversaries of the victories in the global anti-fascist war and China's War of Resistance Against
Japan and the founding of the United Nations, it must not be forgotten that twice in this century mankind has suffered from the
enormity of world war, that war 'has repeatedly brought man catastrophic suffering.
Given the new international situation, the importance of arms control and disarmament has become ever more apparent to the
international community, both as a component of national security policies and as an effective measure to reduce the danger of
war.
China needs a peaceful environment in order to be able to devote itself completely to its socialist modernization programme.
Guided by its aspiration to peace and development, China has spared no effort to safeguard international peace, security and
stability and afforded the greatest concern to arms control and disarmament. China has always opposed the arms race and
advocated that the danger of war be lessened or eliminated through arms control and disarmament. As the international
situation has changed, China, while retaining the precondition that the nation maintain necessary defence capabilities, has
unilaterally adopted a series of measures aimed at disarmament. These include greatly reducing military staff, reducing defence
spending, strictly controlling transfers of sensitive materials, technology and military equipment and converting defence
technologies industry to civilian production. China has further made its due contributions as a developing nation and a
permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, proffering many realistic, rational proposals geared to actively
promote the international arms control and disarmament process.
China's efforts towards arms control and disarmament have proven to the world that it is positive, sincere and responsible
regards resolving this issue. China has been and always will remain a reliable force in the cause of safeguarding world peace
and promoting mankind's common development.
I. Promoting Peace and Development for All Mankind
Working for lasting world peace and creating a happy life and an advanced culture for all mankind, lofty ideals held by all the
world's peoples, are likewise the sincerely held aspirations of the Chinese people.
The Chinese nation loves peace dearly and has made major contributions to peace and other progressive causes for all of
mankind. Modern history has served as grim witness to China's great sufferings and the humiliation of the Chinese people as
the result of imperialist and colonialist invasion and partition. Countless Chinese sons and daughters shed -their blood or laid
down their lives to free the nation from this cruel bondage and plundering, advancing wave upon wave, until national liberation
and independence were finally won under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. The Chinese people know only too
well the true value of independence, sovereignty and equality.
China's guiding principle of seeking peace and development has been reflected in each of the constitutions the nation has
adopted since the founding of New China. The Common Programme of the Chinese People's Political Consultative
Conference, which was passed at the First Plenary Session of the CPPCC in September, 1949 and served as a provisional
state constitution, affirmed that China would "stand for lasting international peace and friendly cooperation among the people
of the world, and oppose the imperialist policies of aggression and war." The Constitution of 1954 stipulated that "the
steadfast policy of our country in international affairs is to work hard for the lofty goal of world peace and progress for
mankind." The present Constitution, adopted in 1982, once again states that China "strives to safeguard world peace and
promote the cause of human progress."
The forces for world peace have grown rapidly since the 1980s, and peace and development have become the two major
issues of the day. China's scientific analysis of the development trends and characteristics of the International situation has
produced the conclusion that with the concerted efforts of people throughout the world, a new world war can not only be
deferred but it can possibly be avoided as well. In the new era of peace and development, the task of first importance facing
the Chinese people is to develop the economy and change the poverty and backwardness of the nation. With this in mind,
China has focused its development strategy on economic construction.
China's modernization programme is an important component of the cause for the common development and progress of
mankind. A peaceful international environment is necessary for China's development and a prosperous and stable China, in
turn, will increasingly benefit world peace. For this reason, China unwaveringly pursues a foreign policy of peace and
independence. It resolutely protects its national independence and sovereignty and opposes foreign interference; seeks to
establish and develop extensive, friendly relations with all the world's countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful
Coexistence, strengthen unity and cooperation with developing countries and actively develop good-neighbourly relations with
bordering nations; stands for the proposition that all nations, big or small, are equal and opposes hegemonism and power
politics in any form; advocates the settlement of international disputes through peaceful means; and opposes the threat or use
of force in international relations.
China's national defence policy is defensive in nature. Its basic goals are to consolidate national defence, resist foreign
aggression, defend the nation's sovereignty over its land, sea and air as well as its maritime rights and interests, and safeguard
national unity and security. National defence work in China is subordinate to and in service of the nation's overall economic
construction, adhering to the principles of "combining peacetime with wartime" and "integrating the army with the people." In
terms of military strategy, China follows a policy of positive defence and adheres to the idea of people's war. China does not
seek world or regional hegemony. China does not station any troops or set up any military bases in any foreign country.
China's national defence construction is not directed against any country. and thus, does not pose a threat to any country.
During the course of foreign policy implementation and national defence construction, China attaches importance to the active
role of arms control and disarmament, holding that arms control and disarmament are conducive to reducing and eliminating
the danger of war and increasing factors for international peace and security. Such controls and reductions will help improve
relations and mutual trust among nations and will enable the contribution of more resources, capital and technology to
economic and social development.
Protracted, unremitting efforts by the international community have led to great progress in international arms control and
disarmament in the past few years. Nonetheless, mankind should remain coolly cognizant that the path to international arms
control and disarmament is still extremely complex and difficult. While some progress has been made in nuclear disarmament,
the major nuclear powers, with the world's most sophisticated and largest quantity of nuclear weapons in hand, have neither
abandoned their policy of nuclear deterrence nor stopped the development of nuclear weapons and outer space weapons
including guided missile defence systems. On the one hand, they vie with one another in dumping their advanced weapons on
the international market even using weapons transfers as a means to interfere in other nations domestic affairs. On the other,
they resort to discriminative antiproliferation and arms control measures, directing the spearhead of arms control at the
developing countries.
China holds that the international community should promote fair, rational, comprehensive and balanced arms control and
disarmament and observe the following principles:
-All nations should follow the purposes and principles for safeguarding international peace and security contained in the
Charter of the United Nations and other relevant international legal norms. At the same time arms control and disarmament is
worked for, aggression must be curbed. Regional conflicts must be fairly and rationally resolved and force or threat of force
should not be used in international relations. Hegemonism and power politics should be eliminated in international relations, so
as to create an international environment and conditions favourable to disarmament.
-The ultimate goal of disarmament is the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons and other
weapons of mass destruction (including chemical and biological weapons), the complete prohibition of outer space weapons,
and reductions in conventional arms as befits actual circumstances. The big powers, possessors of the largest and most
sophisticated nuclear and conventional arsenals, bear a special responsibility in arms control and disarmament.
-Preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The prevention of proliferation is not in itself the ultimate goal.
Only through complete prohibition and thorough destruction of such weapons can proliferation be effectively prevented.
Preventing proliferation should neither present an obstacle to the just rights and interests of all countries in the peaceful use of
science and technology nor restrict or harm economic, scientific and technological development in developing countries.
-All nations have the right to maintaining an appropriate national defence capability and to legitimate self-defence. It is
necessary at all stages of the arms control and disarmament process to ensure all nations from sustaining damage to their
security. All nations, big or small, have the right to join in discussions and decisions on arms control and disarmament on an
equal basis. The implementation of international arms control and disarmament must not impair the independence and
sovereignty of any nation, entail the use of force or the threat of force, or interfere with the internal affairs of any nation.
-All countries, particularly developed nations, should strictly control the transfer of sensitive materials, technologies and
military equipment, practise restraint and halt the irresponsible transfer of weapons.
-All nations should endorse, respect and support the arms control and disarmament measures adopted after voluntary
consultation, negotiation and agreement between nations and in light of actual regional circumstances.
For many years China has adhered to these basic principles, bearing its due share of international arms control and
disarmament obligations and responsibilities, working hard to promote peace and development for humanity.
II. Military Personnel Reduced by One Million
In May, 1985, China solemnly declared that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) would reduce military personnel by one
million. This was the most representative of China's many unilateral moves to disarmament, giving proof of the nation's
determination to actively promote arms control and disarmament. This action stood in sharp contrast to the arms race pursued
by the two major military blocs existing in the world at that time.
China's vast land and large population have justified the necessity of maintaining a standing army of a certain size in order to
maintain national security. The PLA is a people's army led by the Communist Party of China. Its duty is to consolidate national
defence, resist aggression, curb subversion and efforts to split the nation, defend the motherland, safeguard the people's
peaceful labour, join in building the country and strive, to serve the people.
While meeting the precondition of ensuring the interests of the national security, China has always kept its military personnel at
a minimum level. For a long period following the founding of the People's Republic, China was subject to isolation, blockade,
subversion and sabotage by the imperialists and hegemonists, and, as a result, the PLA was often on a combat-ready alert.
Even when faced with such circumstances, China made great efforts towards arms control and twice, in 1955 and 1958,
effected large-scale disarmament. The 1980s saw marked improvement in China's security environment. In order to
concentrate on rapid economic development and to further raise the quality of its armed forces, the precept guiding China's
army-building was strategically shifted from always being prepared against a massive war of invasion to peacetime
construction. China carried out large-scale disarmament in order to effect this goal.
As a prelude to this extensive unilateral disarmament, the Chinese armed forces were reduced, reorganized and restructured
between 1982 and 1984. In May, 1985, China decided to reduce its military personnel by one million. Action on this scale
was rare in the sphere of contemporary international arms control and disarmament.
-Reducing personnel. By 1987, the 4.238-million-strong PLA had been reduced to 3.235 million. Subsequently, still further
reductions were made. By 1990, the PLA manpower was reduced to 3.199 million, overshooting the declared target of one
million men. The 1.039 million demobilized soldiers represented 24.5 percent of the army's original strength.
-Dismantling and merging portions of the military organization. Reapportionment and merger reduced the number of military
area commands from eleven to seven. More than 5,900 units above the regimental level were dispersed through dismantling,
merging, demoting or reforming.
-Adoption of a civil position system. Most of the officers on active duty working in scientific research, engineering, education,
literature and arts and public health were reclassified as working in civil positions within the army.
-Reductions in weaponry. Throughout the armed forces 10,000 artillery pieces of various kinds were removed from service,
along with over 1,100 tanks, approximately 2,500 airplanes, and over 610 naval vessels.
-Opening certain military facilities to the public. Nationwide, 101 military airports and 29 military harbours have been opened
to the public, and some military facilities have been put to civilian use.
China's unilateral, massive reduction of its armed forces took place at a time when the cold war was still on and the protracted
disarmament talks between the U.S. and the Soviet Union were still without outcome. This action was not only conducive to
slowing the arms race between the two major blocs, the East and West, and to the relaxation of international tension at the
time, but also beneficial to the gradual creation of an atmosphere of mutual trust among the world's nations, and the
improvement of the environment for arms control and disarmament and was thus a major contribution towards promoting the
process of the international arms control and disarmament.
III. Maintaining a Low Level of Defence Spending
China has consistently stressed rationally scaled expenditure on defence. The costs of defence are appropriately allocated
based on the nation's financial capacities, while retaining the premise of overall balance. Key areas are guaranteed attention,
funds are rationally used and strict economy practised so as to ensure maximum benefit and be sure that the minimum
requirements for national defence work are met within the limited budget. Since the initiation of the reform and opening policy,
China has placed work in defence in a position subordinate to and in service of overall national economic construction.
Relatively major reap-portionments and reductions have been made so as to strictly control defence spending.
China has consistently adopted a serious-minded attitude towards the management of spending on defence. A complete
administrative and regulatory system tightly geared to the principles of strict control, strict management and strict supervision
has been established and fine tuned. China's defence budget and final accounts are examined and approved by the National
People's Congress and must be strictly implemented once approved. The state and military auditing departments examine and
supervise defence appropriations and the results thereby produced so as to ensure that defence expenditure is strictly
implemented and rationally used.
In 1994, China's expenditure on national defence totalled 55.071 billion RMB yuan; 34.09 percent (18.774 billion yuan) was
spent on living expenses, principally on salaries, food and uniforms; 34.22 percent (18.845 billion yuan) was spent on
maintenance of activities, principally military training, construction and maintenance of facilities, water, electricity and heating;
31.69 percent ( 1 7.452 billion yuan) was spent on equipment, including research, test, purchase, maintenance, transportation
and storage. Thus, maintenance-type activities absorb the largest portion of the defence budget. Moreover, of this
expenditure, in addition to that spent to ensure the personnel's living and normal activities a considerable sum, nearly 3.7 billion
yuan, is spent to fund activities associated with social welfare, such as pensions for retired officers and schools and
kindergartens for children of military personnel.
Plain living and hard working is the people's army's fine tradition. The PLA economizes by frequently inventorying warehouses
to make the best use of stored goods and repairing rather than replacing old facilities and equipment. In addition, in so far as is
within its capacity it joins in agricultural, sideline and industrial production and engages in business. These activities are
primarily undertaken to provide employment for the families of military personnel, to improve life culturally and materially in
grass-roots units and to support the nation's overall economic construction.
China's expenditure on national defence has consistently been kept at a low level necessary to ensure that the requirements for
national security are met. Between 1979 and 1994 defence spending increased 6.22 percent annually in absolute terms. Over
that same period, the general retail price index of commodities increased 7.7 percent annually. During these sixteen years an
expenditure of 581.294 billion yuan would have been needed to maintain the 1979 level of defence spending. However, only
71.65 percent of this figure, 416.499 billion Yuan, was appropriated. Expenditure on personnel's living expenses was
increased by a large margin to keep up with the spiralling costs of living. In recent years, increases in annual defence spending
have for the most part simply matched price increases or gone to ensure the standard of living of personnel.
China has a fairly low level of defence spending compared with that announced by other countries. It spent only US$ 6.39
billion on defence in 1994 (calculated at the average annual exchange rate of the RMB yuan to the US dollar), 2.3 percent
that spent by the United States, 18.3 percent that by Britain, 18.6 percent that by France and 13.9 percent that by Japan. Per
capita defence spending by that year was only US$ 5.36.
China's spending on defence is low in relative terms as well as absolute terms. In 1979, defence expenditure in China
accounted for 5.6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP); in 1994, 1.3 percent. This may be compared with 4.2
percent in the United States, 3.6 percent in Britain and 3.18 percent in France. Again, in 1979, defence accounted for ~18.5
percent of total expenditure by the Chinese government; in 1994, 9.5 percent. In the United States this figure stood at 18.9
percent, in Britain 9.64 percent and in France 13.6 percent.
As these facts make clear, China has a pattern of low expenditure on defence. As long as there is no serious threat to the
nation's sovereignty or security, China will not increase its defence spending substantially or by a large margin. It will never
threaten or invade any other country.
IV. Peaceful Uses for Military Industrial Technologies
Beginning at the end of the 1970s, China began a planned and comprehensive transfer of defence technologies to civilian use.
This transfer is part of the nation's development strategy and will not only promote national economic development but also
help to consolidate China's achievements in arms control and disarmament.
During the course of this transfer, China has effected a major readjustment in military products research and production
capacity, converting two thirds to serving economic construction. In addition, it has reformed the management system and the
industrial and product structures of the defence industry, putting its accomplishments in defence technologies to civilian use.
In 1989, the central government established a civilian applications of military technology liason group" comprised of the State
Planning Commission, the State Scientific and Technological Commission and the Commission of Science, Technology and
Industry for National Defence. In provinces and municipalities with concentrations of defence industries, leading groups have
been established to coordinate the transfer from military to civilian use, strengthening organization in the organic inclusion of
such transfers in national, regional and industrial development plans. Today, the government departments formerly in charge of
military production have already been changed into general corporations within their respective trades and, in accordance with
the principles of the socialist market economy, will step by step develop into economic entities engaging in research,
production and business.
During the Sixth (1981-1985) and Seventh (1986-1990) Five-Year Plans for economic and social development, China
invested approximately four billion yuan in projects aimed at effecting the transfer. During the Eighth Five-Year Plan
(1991-1995), an additional more than ten billion yuan has been invested. The military industrial enterprises enjoy the same
series of preferential policies and reform measures the central government offers for facilitating the operation of enterprises and
follow the contract responsibility system. As is stipulated in their contracts, these enterprises will surrender a portion of their
profits to the government in addition to taxes. The remaining profits produced by civilian goods will be mostly used to boost
production of such goods and improve the lives of those working for the enterprises.
Transforming China's defence industry gradually from its former incarnation as a monolithic producer of military products to
today's diversified producer of products for military and civilian consumers has ensured that the needs of peacetime national
defence construction are met, while at the same time producing high-quality industrial and consumer goods for society at large,
thus playing an important role in national economic construction. As a result of technical transformation and new construction
under the direction of the national industrial policy, approximately 450 production lines are now operating in the defence
industry at a certain economic scale producing civilian consumer goods. The output value of civilian consumer goods
produced by defence industry departments has been increasing 20 percent per annum and in 1994 represented approximately
80 percent of the total output value of such departments as opposed to 8 percent in 1979.
Today, such enterprises have the capacity to produce more than 15,000 products for civilian use in over 50 categories.
Products include those used in telecommunications, energy resources, transportation, textiles and other light industries,
medicine and health, and engineering and building industries. Outputs of some products have made a substantial contribution
to the nation's total, for example automobiles (9 percent), motorcycles (60 percent), freight trains (26 percent) and coal
excavation equipment (24 percent). In addition, these enterprises have used military facilities and technology to bring many
products and projects from the drawing board to production including the Yun-5, Yun-7, Yun-8 and Yun-12 civil aircraft, the
MD-82 and MD-90 large passenger airplanes (produced in cooperation with a foreign partner), the Galaxy-11
supercomputer capable of handling I billion operations per second and its application software, the 300,000-KW Qinshan
Nuclear Power Station, shuttle oil tankers, multifunction container ships, large air-cooled container ships and other new and
hi-tech products. Between 1984 and 1994, China launched 11 satellites for civilian applications. Newly launched
communications satellites have increased satellite television coverage in China to 82 percent. The meteorological satellite
system has brought increased accuracy to weather forecasting, substantially reducing economic losses due to natural
calamities. Satellite remote sensing technology has produced great economic benefits.
China has established a centre for the application of the national defence technologies and a network to disseminate products
and information in order to better convert such technologies to civilian use in a planned way. In the last dozen or so years,
more than 2,500 defence technologies have been released for civilian use, greatly promoting technological progress and
development in relevant fields.
The defence industry has cooperated extensively with foreign partners in developing products for civilian use.. By 1994, over
300 such joint ventures had been established in China.
China's efforts to benefit mankind through military technology have drawn the attention of the international community. The
seminars on the transfer of military technology to civilian use jointly held by China and the United Nations in Beijing and in
Hong Kong received positive worldwide response. The declaration on such transfers issued by the 1993 Hong Kong seminar
stated that world peace and sustained economic development are the common wish of all the world's people; disarmament
and peace are complementary, and the transfer of military technology to civilian use is an indispensable link in the chain of
promotion of disarmament, and the resulting promotion of peace and development.
The transfer of military technology to civilian use has contributed to national economic construction in China and moreover
provided various countries in the world with -successful experience for such conversion in peacetime.
V. Strict Control over the Transfer of Sensitive Materials and Military Equipment
The transfer of sensitive materials and military equipment is a major issue in the field of international arms control and
disarmament and one which China has consistently approached with the utmost gravity.
China supports the three major goals set forth in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT): preventing
the spread of nuclear weapons, accelerating nuclear disarmament, and promoting international cooperation in the peaceful
utilization of nuclear energy. China has consistently stood for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear
weapons, pursuing a policy of not supporting, encouraging or engaging in the proliferation of nuclear weapons and not
assisting any other country in the development of such weapons. At the same time, China holds that preventing the
proliferation of nuclear weapons should not proceed without due regard for the just rights and interests of all countries in the
peaceful use of nuclear energy, particularly in the case of developing countries. There must not be a double standard whereby
anti-nuclear proliferation is used as a pretext to limit or retard the peaceful use of nuclear energy by developing nations.
China holds that the safeguard regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an important component of the
efforts to assure the effectiveness of the NPT. Even prior to acceding to the treaty, China undertook to fulfill the obligations
stipulated by the IAEA Statute, including the obligation to apply IAEA safeguard. Since 1992 when it became a party to the
treaty, it has strictly fulfilled all its obligations under the Treaty including the obligation to cooperate fully with the IAEA in
safeguard application. China follows three principles regarding nuclear exports: exports serving peaceful use only, accepting
IAEA's safeguards and no retransfers to a third country without China's consent. Only specialized government-designated
companies can Handle nuclear exports and in each instance they must apply for approval from relevant governmental
departments. All exports of nuclear materials and equipment will be subject to IAEA safeguard. China has never exported
sensitive technologies such as those for uranium enrichment, reprocessing and heavy water production.
With a view to supporting IAEA safeguard, in November, 1991, China officially declared that on a continuing basis it would
report to the IAEA any export to or import from non-nuclear-weapon states involving nuclear materials of one effective
kilogramme or above. In July, 1993, China formally promised that it would voluntarily report to the agency any imports or
exports of nuclear materials, and all exports of nuclear equipment and related non-nuclear materials.
In 1985, China declared that it would of its own free will submit part of its civilian nuclear facilities to the IAEA for safeguards.
In 1988 China and the IAEA signed an agreement on voluntary safeguard, under which China provided the IAEA with a
listing of facilities subject to such safeguard and established SSAC. The system is supervised, administered and operated
respectively by the competent government department, the facility concerned and technological support unit. The competent
government department is responsible for organizing the implementation of the safeguard agreement between China and the
IAEA. The nuclear facility management is responsible for establishing measurement, recording and reporting regimes in line
with the requirements of the agreement, as well as receiving on-site investigations by IAEA inspectors.
China has consistently advocated the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of chemical weapons. It does not
produce or possess chemical weapons. China was in the first group of countries to sign the Convention on the Prohibition of
the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, and joined in the work of
the Preparatory Commission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in a conscientious and constructive
manner. China itself suffered greatly from chemical weapons in the past. Large quantities of chemical weapons abandoned by
Japanese aggressor troops are found in China to this day, which still threaten the safety and lives and the living environment of
the local people. China demands that, in keeping with the stipulations of the convention, the country leaving chemical weapons
in another country destroy all such weapons as soon as possible. China hopes that the convention will go into effect at an early
date and be thoroughly and effectively implemented, so as to free mankind as soon as possible from the threat of chemical
weapons and bring about a world free of such weapons.
China has a massive civilian chemical industry. It is, however, very cautious and responsible regards the export of chemicals
that could be used to manufacture chemical weapons and related technologies and equipment, refusing such exports if they are
to be used for the purpose of manufacturing chemical weapons. In order to ensure these items if exported not to be used in
the production of chemical weapons, the Chinese government has drafted regulations and measures for the control of their
exportation. A detailed list of chemicals subject to export control has been drawn up in accordance with the Verification
Annex of the convention. Import and export of chemicals on this list and technologies and equipment used in their manufacture
are under the centralized management of the Ministry of Chemical Industry (MCI). Business related to such imports and
exports is handled by specialized enterprises designated by MCI and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic
Cooperation (MOFTEC). MCI, MOFTEC and the General Administration of Customs (GAC) take joint responsibility for
examining and approving imports and exports, issuing licenses and making inspections. China insists that the governments of
importing countries provide assurances that the relevant goods imported from China not be used to manufacture chemical
weapons or retransferred to a third country.
China has consistently advocated a complete prohibition and thorough destruction of biological weapons. It opposes the
production of biological weapons by any country and their proliferation in any form by any country. In 1984 China acceded to
the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin
Weapons and on Their Destruction, and since that date it has fully and conscientiously fulfilled its obligations under the
convention. Since 1987 China has year after year reported to the United Nations on convention-related information and data
in accordance with the decisions of the Review Conferences of the convention. China supports measures that help strengthen
the effectiveness of the convention. It will actively join in discussions of the Ad Hoc Group on promoting international
cooperation, enhancing trust, strengthening verification, and other issues.
With regard to the transfer of military equipment and related technology, China respects the right of every country to
self-defence aimed at safeguarding its own security in accordance with the relevant principles contained in the Charter of the
United Nations, but at the same time it is very concerned about the adverse effects on world security and regional stability
arising from excessive accumulations of weaponry.
For many years until the early 1980s, China did not engage in weapons export trade, and since then the volume of such
exports has been limited. In accordance with a resolution by the UN General Assembly, China participates in the United
Nations register of conventional arms transfers. As these records make clear, China's exports of conventional weapons are
only a small portion of those of the United States, Russia, Britain, France or Germany.
China consistently adheres to a series of principles on conventional weapons transfers. The export of such weapons should
help the recipient nation increase its appropriate defence capacity. The transfer must not impair peace, safety or stability
regionally or globally. China does not use trade in weaponry to interfere in sovereign states' internal affairs.
China strictly controls transfers of military equipment and related technologies and has established an appropriate
administrative organization and operating mechanism to achieve this goal. The State Administrative Committee on Military
Products Trade (SACMPT), under the leadership of the State Council and the Central Military Commission, is responsible
for the centralized control of transfers of military equipment and related technologies. Its main function is drafting laws and
policies governing such transfers. It is mainly comprised of leading personnel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the
Headquarters of the General Staff, the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, MOFTEC
and other relevant departments. As the administrative arm of the SACMPT, the State Bureau of Military Products Trade is
responsible for handling day-to-day affairs. Governmental departments and companies engaged in transfers of military
equipment and technologies must be authorized, registered and approved by the government. Their business activities must
remain strictly within the scope of operation approved. Contracts for transfer of military equipment and technologies require
approval before gaining effect. Major transfer items and contracts must be examined by the SACMPT and approved by the
State Council and the Central Military Commission. Stern legal sanctions shall be taken against any company or individual
who transfers military equipment and technologies without proper governmental examination and approval.
The principles and measures to prevent the proliferation of weaponry and unwarranted transfers of military equipment that
China has consistently upheld have helped preserve world peace and regional stability and promote the healthy development
of international arms control and disarmament.
VI. Actively Promoting International Arms Control and Disarmament
China has always held that common effort by all nations is necessary to realize disarmament and safeguard world peace. It has
long stressed and supported international community's sustained efforts to promote arms control and disarmament. Since
China was restored to its rightful seat in the United Nations in 1971, it has even more actively participated in international arms
control and disarmament activities.
China conscientiously attends meetings of the United Nations General Assembly, the First Committee which considers issues
on disarmament and international security and the Disarmament Commission of the United Nations. It sent high-level
delegations to the three UN special sessions on disarmament issues and to the UN Conference on the Relationship Between
Disarmament and Development.
China stresses and supports the conclusion of arms control and disarmament agreements and treaties through negotiation.
Beginning in 1980, it has formally joined in the work of the Geneva Conference on Disarmament and has actively promoted
negotiations on a wide variety of disarmament issues and the conclusion of relevant conventions.
China appreciates and supports disarmament activities proposed by the United Nations. In 1987, China, in cooperation with
the United Nations, hosted the Regional Symposium on World Disarmament Campaign in Beijing. In response to United
Nations' proposals, China carried out . extensive publicity on disarmament issues and implemented a series of nationwide
activities including an "International Peace Year" and a "Disarmament Decade." On many occasions it sent representatives to
UN expert group meetings and symposiums on disarmament and international security issues, conscientiously and responsibly
making its own contribution to the drafting of fair and rational research reports.
In international disarmament activities China has consistently given active support to reasonable disarmament proposals and
initiatives by the Third World countries. In the early 1970s, China supported the proposal by Sri Lanka and other countries
that the Indian Ocean be designated a Zone of Peace. In 1973, China signed the Additional Protocol II of the Treaty for the
Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco) and in 1987 the relevant protocols
of the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Rarotonga). China has always respected and supported the
demands of the countries concerned for the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones on the basis of voluntary consultation
and agreement and in accordance with actual local circumstances. Given this consistent position, China welcomes the African
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty agreed upon by the African nations, and supports the proposal by relevant nations on the
establishment of nuclear-free zones in the Korean Peninsula, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Correspondingly, China holds bilateral consultations with various nations on arms control and disarmament issues, either on
regular or ad hoc basis.
China has acceded to a series of major international arms control and disarmament treaties and conventions, including the
Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of
Warfare, the Convention on Prohibition or Restriction on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed
to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects, the Antarctic Treaty, the Treaty on Principles Governing the
Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, the
Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin
Weapons and on Their Destruction, the Treaty on the Prohibition of the Emplacement of Nuclear Weapons and Other
Weapons of Mass Destruction on the Seabed and the Ocean Floor and in the Subsoil Thereof, and the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. China is also signatory to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction. China attaches great importance to the
active role these international legal documents play in promoting international arms control and disarmament and has earnestly
and conscientiously fulfilled its own obligations under the agreements. A Chinese delegation is currently actively participating in
the negotiation on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the Convention on Banning the Production of Fissile
Materials for Nuclear Weapons or Other Nuclear Explosive Devices.
China is actively promoting the international arms control and disarmament process with both real actions on its own part and
many realistic and reasonable proposals.
As early as 1963, the Chinese government issued a statement calling for the complete, thorough, utter and resolute prohibition
and destruction of nuclear weapons. China has persistently exercised great restraint in the development of nuclear weapons
and its nuclear arsenal has been very limited. It has developed nuclear weapons for self-defence, not as a threat to other
countries. It has not joined and will not join in the nuclear arms race and has consistently maintained restraint over nuclear
testing.
The Chinese government has from the beginning opposed nuclear blackmail and the nuclear deterrent policy. On October 16,
1964, the Chinese government offered a solemn proposal: a summit conference be held to discuss the complete prohibition
and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons and that nuclear-weapon states commit themselves not to use nuclear weapons
against non-nuclear-weapon states and nuclear-weapon-free zones or against each other. From the first day it gained nuclear
weapons, China has solemnly undertaken not to be the first to use nuclear weapons at any time and in any circumstance and
unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free
zones. China as a nuclear-weapon state never shies away from its due obligations, advocating that nuclear-weapon states
should undertake not to be the first to use nuclear weapons and repeatedly proposing that nuclear-weapon states negotiate
and conclude an international treaty on the no-first-use of nuclear weapons against each other. In January 1994, China
formally presented a draft for the Treaty on the No-First-Use of Nuclear Weapons to the United States, Russia, Britain,
France and other countries, proposing that the five nuclear-weapon states hold first-round discussions on the treaty in Beijing
as soon as possible. On April 5, 1995, China made another official statement, reiterating its unconditional provision of
"negative security assurance" to all non-nuclear-weapon states, at the same time undertaking to provide these nations with
"positive security assurance." These positions taken by China have won the support of a great many countries without nuclear
weapons.
China advocates prevention of the proliferation of nuclear weapons as part of the process of eliminating such weapons. In
May 1995, at the Conference on the Review and Extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,
China supported the decision to indefinitely extend the treaty and the three decisions on the principles and objectives for
nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, on enhancing the review process of the treaty and on the Middle East
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. China holds that the results of the conference accord with the interests of all the parties to the
treaty and will help maintain world peace, security and stability. China believes that the indefinite extension of this treaty
reaffirms the objectives of international cooperation in nuclear disarmament, the prevention of nuclear proliferation and the
promotion of the peaceful use of nuclear energy and should not be interpreted as permitting the nuclear-weapon states to
retain possession of nuclear weapons forever.
During the cold war, China resolutely opposed the arms race between the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet
Union, and stressed that the key to success in disarmament laid in the two superpowers taking real action on their own
initiative. In 1978 at the First Special Session on Disarmament of the United Nations, China proposed that, as the two
superpowers had more nuclear and conventional arms than any other country, they must take the lead in disarmament. In
1982 at the Second Special Session on Disarmament of the United Nations, China went a step further by putting forth a
concrete proposal: The United States and the Soviet Union should stop testing, improving and producing nuclear weapons
and should take the lead in drastically reducing their stockpiles of all types of nuclear weapons and means of delivery. China's
proposal that the "two superpowers take the lead" met with uniform approval from the international community and has played
an active role in promoting negotiations between the two nations, creating actual progress towards disarmament.
In an effort to step by step realize the objective of building a world free from nuclear weapons, in 1994 China put forward a
complete, interrelated proposal for the nuclear disarmament process at the 49th Session of the UN General Assembly. All
nuclear-weapon states should declare unconditionally that they will not be the first to use nuclear weapons and immediately
begin negotiations towards a treaty to this effect; efforts to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones should be supported and
guarantees given not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free
zones; a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty be negotiated and concluded no later than 1996; the major nuclear powers
should implement existing nuclear disarmament treaties as scheduled and further substantially reduce their nuclear weapon
stockpiles; a convention banning production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons be negotiated and concluded; a
convention prohibiting all nuclear weapons be signed, whereby all nuclear-weapon states undertake to completely destroy
existing stocks of nuclear weapons under effective international supervision; prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons while
promoting nuclear disarmament process and international cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Nuclear disarmament and conventional disarmament have all along been the two priority tasks in the sphere of disarmament.
In 1986, China presented two proposals on nuclear and conventional disarmament for the first time at the UN General
Assembly, pointing out that the United States and the Soviet Union had special responsibilities both for nuclear and
conventional disarmament. Subsequently, for five years China had presented these two proposals to the First Committee of
the UN General Assembly, and they had been adopted by consensus. This action on China's part played an important role in
generating real progress in nuclear and conventional disarmament in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
China opposes the arms race in outer space. Beginning in 1984, it has on numerous occasions proposed to the UN General
Assembly draft resolutions on preventing such arms race. China maintains that outer space belongs to all mankind and should
be used exclusively for peaceful purposes. No country should develop any kind of weapon to be used in outer space: outer
space should be kept "weapon free."
In recent years, the issue of transparency in armaments has attracted a great deal of attention in all countries. In 1991, China
submitted a working paper to the Disarmament Commission of the United Nations entitled "Basic Positions on Objective
Information on Military Matters," presenting an overview of China's position: Transparency in armaments is aimed at
advancing peace, security and stability for every country and region and the entire world; accordingly the fundamental
principle that the security of individual states should not be compromised should be upheld. The specific measures for
transparency should be decided on through equal consultations by all countries and be implemented on voluntary basis. These
principles play an active role in promoting the implementation of proper and feasible transparency measures.
China attaches great importance to regional disarmament. In 1991, China submitted a working paper on regional disarmament
to the Disamament Commission of the United Nations containing a complete set of principles and positions. Bilateral, regional
and multilateral disarmament should be mutually promoting. The creation of favourable external conditions and environment is
absolutely necessary in the promotion of regional disarmament; countries outside the region, particularly those with the largest
arsenals, should actively cooperate with and give energetic support to regional disarmament efforts. In considering regional
disarmament issues, interregional differences in security environment and level of armament should be acknowledged and
respected; in terms of measures to be taken or process to be followed there is no model applicable for all regions. China's
position as above was adopted in the main in the Disarmament Commission's final document.
China is located in the Asian-Pacific region, and understandably is specially concerned with the security, stability, peace and
development in this region. In 1994, China presented three basic objectives for the region's security: maintenance of stability
and prosperity in China, safeguarding long-term peace and stability in its surrounding environment, and initiating dialogues and
cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and equality. In cognizance of the Asian-Pacific region's particular circumstances,
China holds that with regard to security and cooperation in the region the following principles and measures to realize them
should be followed and adopted: On the basis of the Charter of the United Nations and the Five Principles of Peaceful
Coexistence mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty. mutual non-aggression, noninterference in each other's
internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence], establish a new mutual respect and friendly relationship
between nations; with promoting common economic development as the objective, establish economic relations based on
equality, mutual benefit and mutual cooperation; settle conflicts and disputes between nations within the region through
consultation on the basis of the principle of equality and peaceful resolution, so as to step by step remove the factors of
instability in the region; with the promotion of the region's peace and security as the purpose, adhere to the principle of arms
only being used in defence and refrain from any form of arms race; and promote various forms of bilateral or multilateral
dialogues and consultations on security issue so as to strengthen trust and understanding. China's position has won
understanding and support from most of the Asian-Pacific countries.
China has consistently stressed friendly, good-neighbourly relations with adjacent countries and has actively promoted
measures to establish bilateral trust. In recent years, China has held multi-level consultations with a number of neighbouring
countries and has taken a series of practical actions. China and the former Soviet Union signed an Agreement on Principles
Governing the Mutual Reduction of Military Forces and the Enhancement of Confidence in the Military Field in the Border
Areas. The leading figures of China and Russia issued a joint statement "on no first use of nuclear weapons against each other
and on not targeting their respective strategic nuclear weapons at each other." China and India concluded an Agreement on
the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquillity Along the Line of Actual Control in the Border Areas. At the two nations' request,
China issued a statement providing security guarantees to Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
Concluding Remarks
Looking back over mankind's long history of war and peace, one is deeply struck by the fact that peace does not come easily
and thus should be doubly treasured.
In recent years, while there has been some relaxation in the international situation, peace has not prevailed in the world. On the
regional level, tensions persist. Armed conflicts and local wars break out continuously and hegemonism and power politics are
still lingering on. While old contradictions have yet to be fundamentally resolved, new contradictions emerge. International
arms control and disarmament is still a long-term, arduous task. The complete eradication of the disaster of war and the
realization of a complete and lasting peace, therefore, remain a highly complex and difficult task before the peace-loving
people of the world.
The world wants peace, nations want development and society wants progress-this has become the irresistible tide of the day.
As long as the peoples of all nations work together, adhering to the road of peace and development, continuing to unflaggingly
promote the arms control and disarmament process, and sparing no effort to establish a new peaceful, stable, fair and
reasonable international political and economic order on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and other
commonly recognized standards for international relations, a long-lasting peace is possible, and the righteousness of peace and
development will ultimately and veritably triumph over the evils of war.
In the future China will unswervingly promote arms control and disarmament as it has in the past, joining together with the
peace-loving people of all the nations in the world, working untiringly to bring a peaceful, stable, prosperous and happy new
world into the 21st century.