China's restrained nuclear policies distorted by foreign media

• Source: Global Times
• [21:38 May 06 2010]
• Comments

By Xu Guangyu

Since the US disclosure of the size of its nuclear reserve Monday, nuclear issues have come into the public eye once again.

People are concerned as to how the two nuclear superpowers would take practical steps to reduce and eliminate nuclear weapons, take the lead in reducing nuclear arms and promote the multilateral nuclear disarmament.

As a nuclear power, China has maintained a clear position on the above three issues. It believes in opposing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, strengthening international nuclear security efforts and supporting every country's equal right to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

However, recently some foreign politicians, scholars and military people have distorted and exaggerated China's nuclear strategy and policy, saying that China's "nuclear rise" is a threat to its neighbors and the region.

They also say that China's nuclear strategy lacks transparency, and that China has not played an active role in nonproliferation.

The basic characteristics of China's nuclear strategy can be summarized as "a deterrent but not a threat."

Maintaining a deterrent means that China's nuclear forces are sufficient to make others believe that China has the ability to respond if attacked with nuclear weapons, thus deterring them from launching such attacks against it.

But China's strategy is also explicitly non-threatening, with the "no first use" policy. China has, in effect, promised it will never use nuclear weapons unless another nation uses them against China first, so China's non-nuclear neighbors have nothing to fear.

At the strategic level, China's nuclear policy aims at limited growth. It sets a premium on quality and sufficiency, and therefore limits the number of nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles.

This prevents China from being trapped into the same kind of nuclear arms race that the US and Soviet Union suffered during the Cold War era.

However, calculating the number of nuclear weapons required for a sufficient deterrent is a complicated and serious issue. Nuclear experts have to provide an in-depth analysis of the many factors involved.

China's nuclear strategy posits a no first use policy, as mentioned before. This is in keeping with China's overall military strategic principles of active defense.

China will attack only after being attacked. Regardless, China can have a strong political and moral position, but still face serious consequences if an enemy attacks it with nuclear weapons.

Therefore, China needs to maintain both a nuclear and a conventional deterrent, curbing the chances of such attacks. China should also improve the integration of military and civilian defense measures, and establish a nationwide emergency response mechanism.

China's self-defensive nuclear strategy has another important characteristic. It is aimed at maintaining existing rights, rather than exerting hegemony.

China is developing nuclear power simply to prevent nuclear superpowers from using their nuclear monopoly to interfere in China's internal affairs and infringing upon its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China is fighting for a reasonable international voice. It does not intend to use nuclear power to seek regional or global hegemony.

Therefore, in the choice of nuclear strategy, China always adheres to the policies of self-defense and limited nuclear stockpiles. It does not aim at overwhelming advantage.

In short, China's nuclear strategy, both regionally or globally, helps contain nuclear war, safeguard peace and promote strategic balance. It is definitely not threatening to other countries.

Although for the foreseeable future China will keep limited nuclear forces, it will continue to actively participate in international nuclear disarmament, prevent nuclear proliferation, promote global nuclear security and seek to be a responsible nuclear power.

The author is a researcher at the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association. forum@globaltimes.com.cn.