China Urges US to Be Cautious on NMD Issue

China urges the new administration of the United States to hear the call of the international community, take cautious act, and avoid doing anything detrimental to the interest of all nations in the world.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao made the remarks here Thursday at a regular press conference when answering a question on the National Missile Defense issue.

Zhu said that China is against US plan to deploy NMD system, which will exert negative impact on global strategic balance and the international disarmament process, and could incur a new round of arms race.

"The issue is also concerned by all members of the international community," he said, adding that the United Nations Assembly has passed the resolution on safeguarding anti-ballistic missile (ABM) treaty twice in succession.

Zhu noted that the Clinton administration decided not to deploy the NMD temporarily last year, and the decision is wise. However, China has noticed that the new administration of the US had the intention to study and deploy NMD.

"The issue of the missile proliferation should be settled through political and diplomatic means on the basis of respecting ABM treaty and safeguarding the global strategic balance," Zhu said.

He noted that China is ready to discuss with all nations including the U.S. on this issue, and make all efforts to safeguard the ABM treaty, improve the international arms control, disarmament, and the process of non-proliferation.






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