Chinese FM: China Opposes NMD, TMDChinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said Thursday that China opposes National Missile Defense (NMD) and Theater Missile Defense (TMD).Speaking at the 7th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF), Tang pointed out that the development of NMD and TMD will surely disrupt the global strategic balance and lead to a new round of arms race. This, he said, will produce wide-spread and deep-going negative influence on the efforts for international peace, security, international disarmament and non-proliferation. Talking about the new changes in the political and security situation in the Asia-Pacific region, Tang stressed that the region is continuously moving towards peace and development, "but some negative factors have also grown, posing challenges to its security." On the one hand, he pointed out that the economy of East Asia is recovering rapidly and promising a good prospect. East Asia's cooperation has made notable progress and is playing a significant role in promoting the regional growth and stability, he said. While noting the friendly ties between Asian countries are growing closer and stronger, he said, China and relevant ASEAN members have made positive progress in their efforts to increase trust, dissolve suspicion and settle disputes by peaceful means. He stressed that the historic summit between the north and south of the Korean Peninsula and the signing of the Joint Declaration "have reinforced the momentum of relaxation of the situation on the Peninsula, and contributed to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region." But he said, on the other hand, the Cold-War mentality is still affecting the way some countries perceive world politics and international relations. Bilateral military alliances are consolidating. Such developments, he noted, are compromising the regional confidence-building efforts and aggravating the instability of the regional security. In the meantime, he said, globalization and the Asian financial crisis repercussions have also adversely affected the Asia-Pacific security. "Separatist forces are asserting themselves more aggressively. The rich-poor gap is widening. Ethnic and religious conflicts are cropping up one after another. The traditional and non-traditional security of some countries is now under increasing pressures," he said. ARF is a consultative organ of ASEAN focusing on security, political and military issues in the Asia-Pacific region. In 1996, China became its full dialogue partner. |
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