China's Disarmament Ambassador Li Chijiang at UN First Committee: Preventing an Arms Race and Weaponisation in Outer Space Is the Most Urgent Task
UNITED NATIONS — China's ambassador for disarmament affairs, Li Chijiang, delivered a thematic statement on outer space at the First Committee of the UN General Assembly on October 21, saying that preventing an arms race and weaponisation in outer space is the most urgent task in outer-space security governance, Xinhua reported.
Li said an outer-space arms race and weaponisation have become a real threat. The United States has defined outer space as a "warfighting domain" and openly acknowledged deploying space-control weapons in orbit, sending an extremely dangerous signal to the international community, he said, adding that the contradiction between most countries' desire to safeguard outer-space security and one country's pursuit of dominance in outer space is unprecedentedly sharp, and is the biggest challenge facing outer-space security. He put forward four Chinese proposals.
First, preventing an arms race and weaponisation in outer space is the most urgent task. Without solving this fundamental problem, other rules in the outer-space field will be undermined, he said. Countries should uphold the notion that "a space war cannot be won and must never be fought," abandon strategies of "dominating outer space," and refrain from "great-power competition" and bloc confrontation in outer space.
Second, strengthen international efforts to negotiate and conclude an outer-space arms control treaty. Practice has proved that voluntary rules cannot stop weaponisation, Li said. The China-Russia draft treaty on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space and of the threat or use of force against outer-space objects is currently the only proposed legal instrument on outer-space arms control, and its core provisions can curb weaponisation and the turning of outer space into a battlefield at the root, he said, adding that China welcomes discussion by all parties to improve the draft text.
Third, uphold multilateral consultation and oppose double standards. Outer-space rules should be made jointly by all countries, not through "small circles" or exclusive arrangements, and international cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space should be actively promoted, he said. Allowing the in-orbit deployment of weapons while practising "selective arms control" will not help maintain peace and security in outer space.
Fourth, attach importance to governing emerging issues. The legal disputes and practical problems arising from commercial space activities becoming involved in armed conflicts of other countries should be studied in depth, and feasible governance solutions explored on the basis of broad consultations, he said.
GSM reported on October 16 that Li delivered a thematic statement on nuclear issues at the same committee that day, calling on the international community to jointly address risks and challenges in the nuclear field and setting out China's nuclear policy.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · Basil D Soufi · CC BY-SA 3.0
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