The adoption of a UN resolution concerning the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty on December 1 demonstrates that the international community is virtually unanimous in its opposition to amending the ABM Treaty, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi at press conference on December 2.

On December 1, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by an overwhelming majority the Resolution on Preservation of and Compliance with the ABM Treaty, which was co-sponsored by Russia, China and Belarus, Sun said.

The adoption of the resolution demonstrates that the international community is virtually unanimous in its opposition to and disapproval of the attempts by a certain country to amend the ABM Treaty, to develop and deploy anti-missile systems, according to Sun.

"As one of the co-sponsors of the resolution, China wishes to express its sincere thanks to the countries that have supported the resolution," Sun said.

He noted that the country in question has in recent years made an all-out effort to develop NMD and worked with a few other countries to develop advanced TMD systems in pursuit of what it calls absolute security as well as its strategic and military superiority.

In a bid to remove the legal barrier to its plans, the country has proposed the amendment of the ABM Treaty and has even threatened to withdraw from the Treaty, Sun said.

"Such a move, should it be taken, will undoubtedly disrupt the strategic balance and stability, undermine the nuclear disarmament process, and weaken the basis of nuclear non-proliferation, and still worse, it will give rise to a new round of nuclear arms race, including arms race in the outer space," Sun said.

The attempted move is detrimental to international peace and security, and is naturally widely opposed by the international community, Sun noted.

He quoted the old Chinese saying "a just cause enjoys abundant support, while an unjust one finds little" in describing the situation, saying that the attempt to develop and deploy anti- missile systems is against the popular will and will end up "doing harms to others while bringing no good to oneself."

China urges the country in question to heed in real earnest the strong appeal of the international community, think twice before it acts and abandon the above-mentioned plans.

"China is willing to join all other peace-loving countries in a continued effort to safeguard international peace and security," he said.