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
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.