China strongly committed to nuke free world

CHINA: China is strongly committed to a world without nuclear weapons, Gareth Evans, co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), told a press conference on the sidelines of the North-east Asia Regional Meeting of the ICNND here Saturday.

The regional meeting, which was held Friday and Saturday, allowed the ICNND to engage in intensive action with key nuclear experts providing insights on global and regional nuclear issues and challenges, including proliferation threats and the safe and secure management of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Evans said, “There is a need to energize a very high-level global political debate on what remains very important risks and threats for the future of this world.”

According to Evans, threats come from the existing nuclear weapons, new countries acquiring such weapons in the future, nuclear weapons and material falling into the hands of terrorists and non-state actors who have the intention and capability of causing catastrophic damage.

Moreover, the multiplication of new power plants around could also create problems. Evans said, besides some large countries, there has to be very strong engagement by all the other significant players and countries in the international community.

In terms of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, the issue involving the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) occupied a lot of time in the discussions.

This is a very important regional security issue relating to disarmament and non-proliferation, said Yoriko Kawaguchi, the other co-chair of the ICNND, adding that China has played an important role as an intermediator.

Beijing, Sunday, Xinhua