(By Chinese Embassy in Netherlands)
2006/12/06?
(The Hague, Netherlands, 5 December 2006)
Mr. Chairman,
First of all, please allow me to express my delegation's warm
congratulations on your election to the Presidency of this Session
of the Conference. I am confident that with your rich diplomatic
experience and outstanding skills, you will guide our Session to a
full success. The Chinese Delegation pledges its full cooperation
to you and to all other Delegations. I'd also like to take this
opportunity to express our appreciation for the excellent job done
by your predecessor His Excellency Ambassador José Antonio
Arróspide of Peru.
Mr. Chairman,
I wish to thank the Director-General for his comprehensive
opening statement.
The Chinese Delegation would like to associate itself with the
statement made by the Ambassador of Cuba, His Excellency Mr. Oscar
de los Reyes Ramos, on behalf of the Non-aligned Movement States
Parties and China. The Chemical Weapons Convention is the first
international instrument on complete prohibition and total
destruction of a whole category of weapons of mass destruction
under a stringent verification regime. It has played a crucial role
in banning and destroying chemical weapons and in preventing
proliferation of such weapons. We are pleased to note that in
nearly 10 years since the entry into force of the Convention,
remarkable achievements have been made in promoting its
universality. By now, its membership has increased to 181. Member
States have also made significant progress in adopting
implementation measures. China supports the efforts to further
promote and implement the Plans of Action on Universality and on
National Implementation Measures, with a view to bringing even more
countries into the Convention and helping the countries concerned
overcome their difficulties so that they can adopt the national
implementation measures as required by the Convention at the
earliest possible date.
Early and total destruction of chemical weapons is a key element
and fundamental goal of the Convention. While progress has been
made in the destruction of chemical weapons, some possessor States
are falling behind the destruction schedule envisaged in the
Convention. China believes that the destruction of all chemical
weapons within the timeframe laid down by the Convention is a
matter that bears on the authority and credibility of the
Convention. The possessor States should, in full compliance with
the Convention, speed up their destruction process and make sure
that all their chemical weapons are destroyed within the final
deadline required by the Convention. China supports a greater role
of the Technical Secretariat and the Executive Council in
overseeing the destruction of chemical weapons.
Industrial verification is a major component of the Convention,
and an important instrument to prevent CW proliferation. Since the
Convention entered into force, industrial verification resources
have always been allocated according to the principles of hierarchy
of risks inherent in the Convention and balanced geographical
distribution. Such an approach has drawn support from States
Parties, and resulted in more than 1,200 successful inspections.
China believes that any improvement in this regard should be within
the framework of the above-mentioned principles and take into full
consideration of views expressed by States Parties, on the basis of
drawing on the experience gained by the Technical Secretariat in
the verification activities.
International cooperation in the field of chemical industry is
one of the pillars of the Convention. Effective international
cooperation can play a positive role in promoting regular trade
among States Parties and enhancing universality of the Convention.
We encourage States Parties to give importance to the issue by
increasing financial and technological input and to make effective
and feasible programmes to promote exchanges and substantive
cooperation.
Mr. Chairman,
China attaches great importance to the Second Review Conference.
In our view, the Second Review Conference should have a
comprehensive review of the implementation of the Convention in the
last ten years since its entry into force, focusing particularly on
the five years since the First Review Conference. The Conference
should give priority to resolving the most outstanding issues at
current stage, so as to truly contribute to the comprehensive and
effective implementation of all the provisions of the Convention.
China will take an active and constructive part in the working
group for the preparation of the Second Review Conference and
contribute to the success of the Second Review Conference.
Next year marks the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of
the Convention. We believe that it is a good opportunity to present
to the public the successful experience of the OPCW and its
contribution to the preservation of international peace and
security, and to raise the public awareness of this organization in
the international community. To this end, States Parties and the
Technical Secretariat need to coordinate closely and make good
plans. China will actively participate in the commemorative
events.
Mr. Chairman,
China has always been committed to the object and purpose of the
Convention, and honoured its obligations under the Convention.
China has stipulated and implemented relevant laws, rules and
regulations for implementing the Convention; it has established
National Authority and local agencies which form an effective
management and control system covering the entire country. We have
submitted all declarations in a timely and accurate manner. We have
so far successfully received more than 120 inspections, with 23
inspections of various types in 2006 alone. Attaching great
importance to non-proliferation, China has adopted an export
control regime that is basically consistent with general
international practices, and our law enforcement in this regard has
been stringent and effective.
The Chinese Government is actively promoting the implementation
of the Convention in the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative
Regions and the Taiwan region. Currently, implementation work in
the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is going on smoothly.
Preparations are also underway in an orderly manner for
implementation in the Macao Special Administrative Region. The
Chinese Government will, on the premise of "One China" principle,
continue to work actively for a pragmatic solution to the issue of
implementation in the Taiwan region.
Japanese abandoned chemical weapons in China have continued to
pose a serious threat not only to the life of the Chinese people,
but also to ecological environment. Despite some positive progress
in the disposal of Japanese ACWs thanks to the cooperation between
the two countries, the substantive destruction process is yet to
start. China urges the Japanese side to intensify its effort and
increase its input in this regard, so as to bring about early and
complete destruction of Japanese ACWs in China. China will, as
always, provide appropriate cooperation. China appreciates the
positive role played by the Technical Secretariat in this issue. As
the destruction process enters into a more substantive stage, China
welcomes the Technical Secretariat to play a more intensive and
comprehensive role in the work related to destruction plan and
verification.
Mr. Chairman,
For the international community, the Convention carries with it
an ideal of a world free of chemical weapons. Facing common
difficulties and challenges, China is ready to join efforts with
other parties to contribute to the early realization of the object
and purpose of the Convention, and to the creation of a harmonious
world of lasting peace and common prosperity. Finally, I wish the
Conference a full success.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.