China's Perspective on a Nuclear-Free World

Abstract

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Notes 1. Office of the Press Secretary, The White House, Hradcany Square, Prague, Czech Republic, April 5, 2009, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-By-President-Barack-Obama-In-Prague-As-Delivered/(hereinafter Obama speech in Prague). 2. UN Security Council Resolution 1887, S/RS/1887, September 24, 2009, http://www.ipfmlibrary.org/unsc1887.pdf. 3. “Statement of the Government of the People's Republic of China,” October 16, 1964, http://www.nti.org/db/China/engdocs/nucsta64.htm 4. Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, “China's National Defense in 2006,” December 29, 2006, http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/china/doctrine/wp2006.html (hereinafter China 2006 National Defense document). 5. Joseph Kahn, “Chinese General Sees U.S. as Nuclear Target,” New York Times, July 16, 2005, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/15/world/asia/15iht-china.html?_r=1. 6. See Pan Zhenqiang, “China's Nuclear Strategy in a Changing World Strategic Situation,” in Unblocking the Road to Zero: Perspective of Advanced Nuclear Nations: China and India, ed. Barry Blechman, March 2009, http://www.stimson.org/nuke/pdf/UnblockingRoadZeroChinaIndia.pdf; Yao Yunzhu, “Chinese Nuclear Policy and the Future of Minimum Deterrence,” Strategic Insights 4, no. 9 (September 2005), http://www.nps.edu/Academics/centers/ccc/publications/OnlineJournal/2005/Sep/yaoSep05.html; Sun Xiangli, “Analysis of China's Nuclear Strategy,” China Security, no. 1 (Autumn 2005): 23–27, http://www.wsichina.org/back1_05.html 7. See Peng Guangqian and Rong Yu, “Nuclear No-First-Use Revisited,” China Security 5, no. 1 (Winter 2009): 78–87. 8. “Statement of Chinese delegation, the 3rd PrepCom for 2010 NPT Review Conference,” New York, May 4–15, 2009 (hereinafter Statement of Chinese Delegation for 2010 NPT Review Conference), http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/chn/pds/ziliao/zyjh/t575071.htm (in Chinese). 9. See Steven E. Miller, “The Utility of Nuclear Weapons and the Strategy of No-First-Use” (paper, London, November 15–17, 2002), http://www.pugwash.org/reports/nw/miller.htm (presented at Pugwash Meeting no. 279 titled “No First Use of Nuclear Weapons”). 10. “Statement by the Chinese Delegation to the 2nd PrepCom for 2005 NPT RevCon on Nuclear Disarmament and Reduction of the Danger of Nuclear War,” April 30, 2003, http://www.nti.org/db/china/nptpc0403.htm. 11. Miller, “Utility of Nuclear Weapons and the Strategy of No-First-Use.” 12. See Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, “China's National Defense in 2008,” January 2009, www.gov.cn/english/official/2009-01/20/content_1210227.htm (hereinafter China 2008 National Defense document). 13. See Zhang Yuliang, Zhanyi Xue [The Science of Campaigns] (Beijing: Publisher of PLA National Defense University, 2006). 14. China 2006 National Defense document, http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/china/doctrine/wp2006.html#2 15. Hui Zhang, “Action/Reaction: U.S. Space Weaponization and China,” Arms Control Today, December 2005, pp. 7–9, http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2005_12/DEC-CVR 16. “Statement by H.E. Mr. Cheng Jingye, Head of the Chinese Delegation at the Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,” May 4, 2009, http://www.china-un.org/eng/chinaandun/disarmament_armscontrol/npt/t560530.htm 17. See China 2008 National Defense document, http://www.gov.cn/english/official/2009-01/20/content_1210227_16.htm 18. “Recommendations for Achieving the Objective of Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: Working Paper Submitted by China,” April 26, 2006, http://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zzjg/jks/kjfywj/t248961.htm (hereinafter Chinese 2006 working paper on disarmament and nonproliferation). 19. Department of Arms Control, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Nuclear Disarmament,” August 10, 2009, http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zzjg/jks/kjlc/hwt/t410746.htm 20. Hu Jintao, “Unite as One and Work for a Bright Future” (statement, UN General Assembly, New York, September 23, 2009), http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjdt/zyjh/t606276.htm (hereinafter Jintao 2009 UN General Assembly statement). 21. Statement of Chinese Delegation for 2010 NPT Review Conference. 22. Daryl G. Kimball and Miles A. Pomper, “Interview With Nuclear Threat Initiative Co-Chairman Sam Nunn,” Arms Control Today, January 24, 2008, http://www.armscontrol.org/interviews/20080124_Nunn 23. See Pan Zhenqiang, “Abolishing Nuclear Weapons: Why Not Outlaw Them First?” in Abolishing Nuclear Weapons: A Debate, ed. George Perkovich and James M. Acton (Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, February 2009), pp. 249–263, http://carnegieendowment.org/files/abolishing_nuclear_weapons_debate.pdf 24. See Harold Brown and John Deutch, “The Nuclear Disarmament Fantasy,” Wall Street Journal, November 19, 2007, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119542524645797257.html Also see Harold Brown, “New Nuclear Realities,” The Washington Quarterly 31, no. 1 (Winter 2007–08): 7–22, http://www.twq.com/08winter/docs/08winter_brown.pdf. 25. See Paul Richter, “Obama's Nuclear-Free Vision Mired in Debate,” Los Angeles Times, January 4, 2010, http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-obama-nuclear4-2010jan04,0,1799502.story 26. See Thom Shanker, “Russia Is Striving to Modernize Its Military,” New York Times, October 19, 2008, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/world/europe/20military.html 27. “Chiao Kuan-hua's speech at the UN General Assembly,” November 24, 1971, http://www.nti.org/db/china/engdocs/ch1171.htm 28. See Pan Zhenqiang, “On China's No First Use of Nuclear Weapons” (paper, London, November 15–17, 2002), http://www.pugwash.org/reports/nw/zhenqiang.htm (presented at Pugwash Meeting no. 279 titled “No First Use of Nuclear Weapons”). 29. Jintao 2009 UN General Assembly statement. 30. Statement of Chinese Delegation for 2010 NPT Review Conference. 31. Hans M. Kristensen, “Status of World Nuclear Forces,” January 12, 2010, http://www.fas.org/programs/ssp/nukes/nuclearweapons/nukestatus.html 32. China 2008 National Defense document, art. 16, http://www.gov.cn/english/official/2009-01/20/content_1210227_16.htm (“Arms Control and Disarmament”). 33. Beijing once proposed a condition of “three stops and one 50 percent reduction” in 1980, which is now outdated. For instance, according to Huang Hua, “[i]f the two superpowers take the lead in halting the testing, improving or manufacturing of nuclear weapons and in reducing their nuclear weapons by 50 per cent, the Chinese Government is ready to join all other nuclear states in undertaking to stop the development and production of nuclear weapons and to further reduce and ultimately destroy them altogether.” See Huang Hua, speech at the second special session of the UN General Assembly devoted to disarmament, New York, June 11, 1982, http://www.nti.org/db/china/engdocs/ch1171.htm Also see Chi Wang, “China's Nuclear Program and Policies,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 39, no.3 (March 1983): 18. 34. Statement of Chinese Delegation for 2010 NPT Review Conference. 35. Obama speech in Prague. 36. See Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT),” August, 10, 2009, http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zzjg/jks/kjlc/hwt/t410740.htm 37. China 2008 National Defense document, http://www.gov.cn/english/official/2009-01/20/content_1210227_16.htm 38. Chinese 2006 working paper on disarmament and nonproliferation. 39. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Negotiation on the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty,” August 10, 2009, http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zzjg/jks/kjlc/hwt/t410739.htm 40. Obama speech in Prague. 41. See Hui Zhang, “A Chinese View on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty,” Journal of Nuclear Materials Management 30, no. 4 (Summer 2002): 49–56. 42. On January 11, 2010, China conducted a test on ground-based midcourse missile interception technology within its territory. Beijing stated that “the test has achieved the expected objective. The test is defensive in nature and is not targeted at any country.” See “China Conducts Test on Ground-Based Midcourse Missile Interception,” China View, January 11, 2010, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2010-01/11/content_12792329.htm The following day, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed that Beijing's position on missile defense remains unchanged. See Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu's Regular Press Conference on January 12, 2010,” January 13, 2010, http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/xwfw/s2510/2511/t651245.htm 43. China 2008 National Defense document, http://www.gov.cn/english/official/2009-01/20/content_1210227_16.htm 44. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Missile Defense,” August 10, 2009, http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zzjg/jks/kjlc/wkdd/t410755.htm 45. Sha Zukang, “The Impact of the U.S. Missile Defense Programme on the Global Security Structure” (paper, Beijing, March 13–15, 2000) (paper presented at the CPAPD/ORG Joint Seminar on Missile Defense and the Future of the ABM Treaty). 46. What the Obama administration's space policy would be is unclear at this point. The administration is currently in the process of assessing U.S. space policy, and the new space strategy may be expected within the next year. Early administration statements on space and antispace weapons were far more conciliatory compared to those of the Bush administration. If Beijing interprets any kind of missile defense as one part of space weaponization, Beijing's push for negotiations on the prevention of an arms race in space will be continued. 47. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space,” August 10, 2009, http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zzjg/jks/kjlc/wkdd/t410757.htm 48. “Statement by Ambassador Hu Xiaodi at the Plenary of the 2nd Part of the 2005 Session of the Conference on Disarmament,” June 30, 2005, http://www.china-un.ch/eng/cjjk/cjthsm/t201853.htm 49. Hu Xiaodi, remarks at panel discussions on “A Treaty to Prohibit Weapons and War in Space?” and “Missiles: How Can We Reduce the Dangers They Pose?” October 11, 2001 (sponsored by the NGO Committee on Peace and Disarmament in cooperation with the UN Department of Disarmament Affairs and the UN Department of Public Information). 50. Chinese 2006 working paper on disarmament and nonproliferation. 51. “Nuclear Posture Review [Excerpts],” January 8, 2002, p. 16, http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/policy/dod/npr.htm. 52. Hans Kristensen, “The Roles of U.S. Nuclear Weapons: New Doctrine Falls Short of Bush Pledge,” Arms Control Today, September 2005, http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2005_09/Kristensen 53. Hui Zhang, “Chinese Perspectives on Space Weaponization,” in Russian and Chinese Responses to U.S. Military Plans in Space: A Report of the Reconsidering the Rules of Space Project, ed. Pavel Podvig and Hui Zhang (Cambridge, MA: American Academy of Arts and Sciences, March 2008), pp. 75–76. Additional informationNotes on contributorsHui Zhang Hui Zhang is leading a research initiative on China's nuclear policies for Harvard University's Project on Managing the Atom in the Kennedy School of Government. He is a physicist and a specialist in nuclear arms control and Chinese nuclear policy issues