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A Chinese Perspective on FMCT/FMT(2)
Time：2011-08-19 16:56         Author:军控协会         Source:CACDA
 
Some states recently organized the so-called “side event” on the FMCT in the CD. China has expressed explicitly that it cannot go along with this activity and would not take part in it, pointing out that such action is lack of universal participation of all parties concerned, any result therefrom has no status in the CD and China would not recognize it. In view of maintaining the authority of the CD and its Rules of Procedure, and ensure the universal participation of all member states, China has always held that the CD as the sole multilateral disarmament negotiation body serves as the only appropriate mechanism for the FMCT negotiation and is hopeful that this negotiation could start as early as possible in the CD according to its Rules of Procedure.”
 
He went on to talk about some of his personal view concerning the FMCT:
 
“First of all, it is obvious that the envisaged treaty would have some positive impact on nuclear non-proliferation and quantity restrictions on nuclear weapons. This would be in line with general aspirations of the international community, and should be supported to reach agreement as early as possible. On the other hand, however, there is no difficulty for people to realize that this treaty’s meaning is somehow limited. As far as the major nuclear weapon states are concerned, their fissile material stockpile for nuclear weapons have already much larger than is needed, and for some of them this material has even become a sort of burden. As for the majority of non-nuclear weapon states, they have no intention to develop these weapons at all and so they simply have no need for such material. Hence, the treaty will mainly affect a small number of states that are situated in regions where the security environments are more complex and instable. While some of them have spoken out their concern, others have remained silent. It seems uncertain that they would eventually accept the treaty. This reality determines that the start and process of FMCT negotiation is bound to have twists and turns, not attainable by a sudden flight.  
 
Secondly, though among the five nuclear weapon states, China’s nuclear arsenal is much smaller than others and will be most affected by the FMCT, I am convinced that China will commit itself to the treaty, contributing to the international consensus on non-nuclear proliferation and nuclear disarmament process. In my view, such a position is based on China’s unique nuclear doctrine, strategy and policy that is very different from other nuclear states.
For decades, a common and basic view on nuclear weapon in China is that nuclear weapon is both a real tiger and paper tiger at the same time. On the one hand, nuclear weapon with its utmost destructive power is the most inhumane weapon of mass destruction unknown in human history. Once it is used, it would bring about unprecedented holocaust to the mankind, rendering it a real tiger indeed. On the other hand, however, such a nature of nuclear weapon has determined that it cannot be used easily. Any person or state that would go so far as to wage a nuclear war will have to be accountable to the history, mankind for its serious consequences. In this sense, nuclear weapon is alienated into a paper tiger, mainly used for threatening others.  
China all along advocates complete prohibition and thorough elimination of nuclear weapons and is opposed to nuclear war and nuclear arms race. It was because of the nuclear blackmail imposed by a major nuclear superpower in the 1950s that China was compelled to develop its own nuclear capability so as to address the real danger of being a target of nuclear strike.
From the very beginning, China’s philosophical belief on nuclear weapon is that pending complete nuclear disarmament; it can only be used to serve one purpose, that of retaliation against a nuclear attack as a means of deterrence. This nuclear doctrine is vividly manifested by the fact that on the very first day of acquiring a nuclear capability, China declared that it would never be the first to use nuclear weapons under any circumstances; it also pledged unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states or nuclear weapon free zones. China’s nuclear rationale has determined the defensive nature of its nuclear force, its posture and size. Following this fundamental stand, China has exercised the utmost restraint on the scale and development of its nuclear weapons. For instance, it conducted the smallest number of nuclear tests among the five nuclear-weapon states. China has never taken part and will never take part in any nuclear arms race (军控协会)