China’s Nuclear Strategic Concepts and Practices

By Prof. Hu Yumin, CACDA

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China’s Nuclear Strategic Concepts and Practices

By Prof. Hu Yumin, CACDA

It is generally believed that regarding nuclear arms control the stronger sides in the strategic nuclear relations need to shoulder more responsibilities and take more substantive steps in developing CBMs.1China, as an asymmetrical participant in the international nuclear relations though, still plays a constructive role in stabilizing global security strategic structure. It should be pointed out that China’s commitment to non-first-use of nuclear weapons reflects a more reasonable security concept. While the “MAD” concept is built upon a balance of power or a “mirror effect” arms structure, China’s security concept pursues asymmetrical strategic stability, built upon maintaining its relatively low level of armament and a defensive posture and is therefore a great support for maintaining global and regional strategic stability.

China’s declaration of its nuclear strategic intent should be seen as an original nuclear CBMs. In the long run, China seeks “asymmetrical” strategic stability and unilaterally undertakes to abandon the first use of nuclear weapons while ensuring its effective nuclear counter-attack capability in the same time. It is a more viable optimized strategic choice and a strategic measure conducive to promoting the eventual complete and thorough nuclear disarmament.

China’s nuclear arms control policy is an inseparable part of its national security strategy. The formulation and development of China’s nuclear arms control policy conforms to the special security environment facing China. With respect to external security, China takes into consideration both nuclear weapon states (NWS) and a great number of nonnuclear weapon states (NNWS), both safeguarding its own security interests and maintaining global peace and stability, both the current security environment and the goal of realizing the complete destruction of nuclear weapons for the mankind. Therefore, only after a systemic understanding of the concept and implementation of China’s nuclear arms control policy can one get a correct understanding about China’s position in nuclear CBMs.

Given the steady achievements in military technology and the weaponry development, nonnuclear issues have to be increasingly touched upon in the discussion of the role of nuclear weapons in maintaining strategic stability, such as ballistic missile defense, long-range precision-guided strike system, outer space capability and cyberspace capability, etc.

China embraces a new security concept featuring promoting cooperative security regionally and globally, taking timely promoting CBMsas its important part. As main beneficiaries of the current international system, China and other major countries have parallel interests and common responsibility in upholding this system and safeguarding international and regional security. Therefore, nuclear CBMs should be incorporated into their continuous efforts to safeguard international and regional security and establish a new-type major country relations.

China’s Concept and Practices of Nuclear CBMs

Shortly after its birth, New China declared its position on the issue of nuclear weapons. After the reform and opening up, China has gradually integrated into the international community. With the rise of its international status, China attached great importance to making due contributions to maintaining international and regional peace through nuclear CBMs. In 1998, China published the white paper “, which stressed,“Building trust among countries is an effective way to safeguard security. China attaches great importance to and actively promotes the CBMs cooperation.” China has made steady progress in the adoption of nuclear CBMs at unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral levels. Over the past 20 years, through issuing white papers, Chinese Government elucidated systematically the principles of the development of China's nuclear strategy and nuclear forces and its position on nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and other issue.2

1. China has unilaterally adopted nuclear CBMs

China actively advocates the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. In 1960, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlaiproposed,“countries bordering with Asia and Pacific including the United States should sign a non-aggression treaty of peace, which would make the entire region a place free of nuclear weapons.” In 1963, on the eve of the signing ofby United States, Soviet Union and Britain, China issued a statement and proposed to “completely prohibit and thoroughly destroy nuclear weapons.” It was the first time the Chinese Government stated its position therein. China made a solemn statement in 1964 after its first successful nuclear test that “the Chinese government is consistent with its position for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons.Had its proposal been implemented, it would have been unnecessary for China to developnuclear weapons”. China immediately called for convening a summit to discuss the issue of complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons.It was the first time that a nuclear state proposed to completely prohibit and thoroughly destroy nuclear weapons. In 1982, the Chinese delegation attending the first Special Session on Disarmament suggested that nuclear states should agree not to use nuclear weapons. Before that, NWS should promise not to use nuclear weapons against NNWS and nuclear weapon free zones (NWFZ). The prevention of nuclear proliferation is not the endbut a measure or step in the process of complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons.

China pursues a nuclear strategy of self-defense and honors its commitment to no-first use of nuclear weapons. Faced with repeated nuclear blackmails from the superpowers, China made a strategic choice to develop a self-defensive nuclear force. In October 1964, China conducted its first nuclear explosion, and then announced seriously “At no time, under no circumstances will China be the first to use nuclear weapons.” Thereafter, China announced again that it would not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against NNWS and NWFZ. Among the five NWS, China is the only one that has promised not to use nuclear weapons first, andthe only one that has promised not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against NNWS and NWFZ as well.

Over the past halfcentury, be it the timewhen China suffered nuclear threat and nuclear blackmail by the superpowers during the Cold War, or when significant changes took place in the international security environment after the Cold War, China has adhered to the position of self-restraintand always abided by the no-first-use nuclear commitment. China takes its commitment of no first-use of nuclear weapons as an effective means to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, decrease the risk of outbreak of nuclear wars and prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons as well as an important step to promote complete and thorough nuclear disarmament and realize a nuclear weapons-free world.

China promises not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against NNWS and NWFZ.For decades, China is the only one who has honored its promise among the five NWS.In 1995, China issued a statement to reiterate that China would provide negative security assuranceto all NNWS unconditionally and promised to givepositive security assuranceto those countries. In 2000, China and other nuclear states made a joint statement to reaffirm the commitment of security assurance in the UN Security Council Resolution 984 in 1995. China appeals to other nuclear states to unconditionally provide positive and negative security assurances to NNWS and to negotiate and conclude an international legal instrument at an early date.

2.Nuclear CBMs China adopted bilaterally

After the end of Cold War, with the profound changes of the international security situation and the developments of China-Russia and China-U.S. relations, new progress has been made in the exchanges and cooperation in the field of security and military affairs between China and two nuclear powers, i.e. the United States and Russia. Progress of varying degrees has been achieved in the nuclear CBMs between China and Russia, between China and the United States.

In December 1992, China and Russia signed Joint Statement on the Basis of Mutual Relations between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation, which claimed that under no circumstances would they be the first to use nuclear weapons and use or threaten to use nuclear weapons to NNWS and NWFZ.3In September 1994, the two countries signed the, which stated that the two countries would not target strategic nuclear weapons against each other or use force, especially complying with the obligation of nofirst-use of nuclear weapons.4Meanwhile, China and Russia signedin terms of not being the first to use nuclear weapons or targeting strategic nuclear weapons against each other.5In the same year, China and Russia signedto avoidsuch incidents as unintended missile launch and crossing border into the other side.

In April 1996, Chinese and Russian governments signed an agreement on establishing direct and secret communication link and openeda head-of-state hotline. The Ministries of Defense of China and Russia officially established their direct telephone link, and the Ministers of Defense held their first phone talks in March 2008. From then on, the military hotline between China and Russia was officially launched. In October 2009, China and Russia signed

In April 1998, China and the United States signed agreement on establishing direct and secret communication link and openeda head-of-state hotline. The two heads of state declared in June, 1998that both sides had decided not to target strategic nuclear weapons against each other. In that same year, China and the United States signedChina strongly opposedthe U.S. development of antimissile system that would disruptstrategic stability. In the meantime, China maintained bilateral dialogue and consultation on the anti-missile issue with the United States. In response to regional nuclear proliferation issues including North Korean and Iranian Nuclear programs, China and the United States cooperated with each other positively.

In February 2008, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense and U.S.DOD signed an agreement on establishing direct and secret communication link, which led to the formal establishment of military hotline between China and the United States. In November 2009, China and the United States issuedwhich reiterated the promise made by both sides in 1998 not to target strategic nuclear weapons against each other. U.S. Defense SecretaryDonald Rumsfeld paid a visit to the HQ of Second Artillery Force of the PLA in October 2005. In August 2007,Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Ike Skelton, also paid a visit to the HQ of Second Artillery Force of the PLA. In January and July 2011, U.S. Secretary of DefenseRobert Gates, along with Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, paid a visit to the HQ of Second Artillery Force of the PLA.

3. Nuclear CBMs Chinaadopted multilaterally

China advocates that relevant nuclear states make a joint commitment not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons on non-nuclear countries and hereby make a commitment that is as significant as an international law. In response to the NNWS’ joining of thethe NWS should provide security assurance under UN Security Council resolutions and in other forms and also set up international arrangement to protect the NNWS from nuclear attack or threat. Once they suffer an attack or threat mentioned above, the NNWS will gain assistance and support6including “positive security assurance”, which means when the NNWS are under nuclear attack or threat, relevant countries promise to provide assistance to them, and “negative security assurance”, which means relevant countries promise not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against NNWS. The NWS make such a commitment, which is as significant as an international law, to the NNWS is a CBM of strategic meaning.

China advocates promoting nuclear disarmament process together with the developing countries and enhancing mutual trust through coordinating positions. In 1979, the representatives of China attending the UN Conference on Disarmament proposed that all the countries should equally participate in discussions of the issue of global security and disarmament to promote the nuclear disarmament process together with developing countries.China supported theadopted by the First Special Session on Disarmament(SSOD), which was attended by representatives from 146 UN members, and agreed on the propositions as follows: 1)Nuclear countries, especially countries with the largest nuclear arsenals should undertake special responsibilities for nuclear disarmament; 2) Fair and balanced disarmament measures should be adopted to assure the security rights of all countries; 3) The ultimate goal is to realize complete and thorough nuclear disarmament under effective international supervision. China, as a permanent memberof the UN Security Council and the only developing and nuclear country identified by thehas made consistent efforts to coordinate position with the developing countries on the major issues of international arms control.

China actively participates in and promotes the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.China holds that nuclear countries should pay respect to the status of the NWFZ and assume corresponding obligations. In 1973, China signed the second protocol to theand submitted the instrument of ratification in 1974. In 1987, China signed the second and third protocols to theand also submitted the instrument of ratification in 1988. In the 1980s, China joined, the, and. In 1984, China joined the International Atomic Energy Agency. In 1988, China signed thewith IAEA and voluntarily put civilian nuclear facilities under the supervision of the agency.

From 1991 to 1993, China gradually extended the report to cover imports and exports situation of nuclear materials to the IEAE. In 1992, China joined the. China faithfully fulfilled the obligations set by the treaty and committed itself to three goals, namely preventing nuclear weapons proliferation, advancing nuclear disarmament process and promoting peaceful use of nuclear energy. In 1996, China made its commitment not to export nuclear materials to NNWS or cooperate with them technically. China also promised not to provide assistance to nuclear facilities not underIEAE safeguardsand regarded accepting comprehensive IEAE safeguardsas the condition for exporting nuclear materials. In 1998, China signed an additional protocol to the safeguards agreementwith IAEA. In 2002, China was the first nuclear country that had completed the domestic legal procedures forthe additional protocol to enter into force.

China supports ASEAN countries and the five Central Asian countries to build a NWFZ and supports endeavors to establish nuclear-weapon-free and WMD-free zones in the Middle East. China respectsMongolia'sNuclear-Weapon-FreeStatus and supports denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.In 1996, China signed the second and the third protocols to theand submitted the instrument of ratification in 1997.

China is one of the first countries that signed the. In 1996, China announced a moratorium on nuclear testsat the important stage of its nuclear weapon development. It keeps promise and soon afterwards has closed its nuclear weapon development base in Qinghai province. China supports the early entry into force of(CTBT) and advocates nuclear countries and other relevant countries to continue to observe a moratorium on nuclear testing before the CTBT took effect. China implements the domestic legal procedures for the ratification of the treaty, has established national organization in charge of preparation work for fulfilling the CTBT and actively participated in the CTBT Preparatory Committee and the Conference on FacilitatingEntry into Force of the CTBT.

Since the first day of possessing nuclear weapons, China urgesNWS to sign the agreement onnofirstuse of nuclear weapons againstone another. In January 1994, China presented a draft of “the Treaty on No FirstUse of Nuclear Weapons” to the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom and France and suggested the five NWS should undertake consultations on the issue as soon as possible. Afterwards, the Chinese Government repeatedly urged NWS to negotiate and sign the. In May 2000, the five NWS—China, France, Russia, the UK and the United States — announced jointly that they would not target nuclear weapons against any countries.

China actively attended together with other fourNWS theLondonconference in 2009, the Paris Conference in 2012 and the Washington Conference in 2013. China and the other NWS maintained dialogues and consultations on such issues as THE CBMs and fulfillment of the NPT. In 2014, China heldBeijing Conference, also the fifth of its kind. The five NWS exchanged their views on the issues of strategic stability, nuclear disarmament, nuclear nonproliferation and peaceful use of nuclear energy at the Conference and unanimously agreed to deepen the strategic cooperation and promote the global governance in the nuclear field. The five NWS made a joint statement onstrategic planning and measures on the related issues in the field. Besides, China also held activities, in which the representatives attending the Conference, academic institutes and media organizations of five countries took part.

China was in charge of coordinating the work of “Working Group on Glossary of Definitions for Key Nuclear Terms” and held three experts’ meetings in Beijing inthe September of 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. China made great efforts to assure the compilation of the “Glossary of Nuclear Terms”. The five NWS agreed to submit the quadrilingual “Glossary of Nuclear Terms” (including Chinese, English, French and Russian) compiled by the Working Group to the 9thNPT Review Conference .7

Conclusion

The US-Soviet/Russia CBMsduring the Cold War and thereafter weredeveloped against the backdrop of fierce confrontations and conflicts in the nuclear field and based ontheir rational understanding of the nature of nuclear war and the mutual consensus to prevent the outbreak of nuclear war, signifying a rational and practical cooperation of the two sides on the basis of common strategic interests of preventing the outbreak of nuclear war. The rational and pragmatic concept and practices of the United States and Russia provide positive reference and enlightenment for a new-type strategic nuclear relations between China and other nuclear states.

In line with the principle of maintaining regional peace and stability and following non-proliferation nuclear mechanism, China has played an important part in dealing withKoreanPeninsulaand Iranian Nuclear issues by closely cooperating with all parties concerned. China has also played an important and constructive role in promoting peace and stability and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

After the Cold War, with the end of the bipolar confrontation, it is less likely for a nuclear war to break out, but the risk of accidental nuclear attack is on the increase. The focus of international arms control is on preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, countering nuclear terrorism, and maintaining nuclear safety, etc.

China is committed to promoting a new security concept featuring “cooperative security” regionally and across the world. Building trustamong all states is an effective way to safeguard security. Therefore, China actively promotes and attaches great importance to building confidence andcooperation with various countries and takesit as an important part of the “new security concept”.8

Footnotes:

1. Confidence Building Measures (CBMs): Measures designed to reduce the dangers of armed conflict and misunderstanding or miscalculation of military activities, which could give rise to apprehension, particularly in a situation when the participating states lack clear and timely information about the nature of such activities. Page278, The Arms Control, Disarmament and Military Security Dictionary by Jeffrey M. Elliot and Robert Reginald, Santa Barbara, California Oxford England

2.Refer to(1995),(1998),(2000),(2002),(2003),(2004),(2005),(2006),(2008),(2010),(2013), etc..

3., No. 32, 1992 (Total: 717), General Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, 5 February 1993.

4., No. 19, 1994 (Total: 768), General Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, September 13, 1994.

5.The statement has made a declaration that both sides reiterated the obligation of no use of weapons, especially no first-use of nuclear weapons. Besides, it also stated that both sides take measures not to target the strategic nuclear weapons under their control against each other., No. 19, 1994 (Total: 768), General Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, 13 September, 1994.

6.P110, Section Two “ Arms Control and Disarmament” Chapter Four “The Security of the Non-Nuclear Weapons States”, chief editor, Chen Xiaogong, World Affairs Press, Jan, 1998, 1st edition.

7.Refer to(1995),(1998),(2000),(2002),(2003),(2004),(2005),(2006),(2008),(2010),(2013), and other White papers, the reports on the China’s implement on nuclear non-proliferation treaty, NPT/CONF.2015/PC.III/13,29 Apr,2014.

8., People.CN, 21 May 2014