China warns against attacks on nuclear facilities amid Iran tensions

China urged all parties to exercise restraint and uphold international law at the ongoing Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) on Wednesday, as military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities raised global concern.

Addressing the conference, Sun Xiaobo, director-general of the Department of Arms Control of China's Foreign Ministry, said the world faces "increasing uncertainty and instability", with certain countries pursuing unilateral policies, imposing sanctions, and provoking conflicts.

"They frequently impose sanctions and blockades on other countries, provoke conflicts and wars around the world, and arbitrarily trample on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of others, seriously threatening the national security and even the basic right to survival of small and medium-sized countries," Sun said.

Such actions, he added, "severely undermine the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations founded on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter".

Sun stressed that hegemonism, power politics, and unilateralism pose real threats to the global non-proliferation regime, warning that pursuit of "absolute strategic advantage" and strengthened military alliances have fueled arms race risks and eroded strategic stability.

"Military strikes against nuclear facilities under safeguards, without authorization from the UN Security Council, seriously violate international law," he said, cautioning that such actions — carried out under the pretext of non-proliferation — risk accelerating proliferation and destabilizing entire regions.

His remarks came as the situation surrounding Iran has intensified in recent weeks, with military actions reportedly targeting nuclear facilities under safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Sun called on all parties to resolve disputes through dialogue, emphasizing that preventing nuclear war and maintaining global strategic stability must remain the top priority.

China reiterated support for nuclear disarmament in a fair and orderly manner, urging states with the largest nuclear arsenals to take the lead. It called for early negotiations on a no-first-use treaty among nuclear-weapon states and a legal instrument providing security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon states.

On regional issues, Sun said China renewed its call for the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East and urged Israel to join the NPT as a non-nuclear-weapon state and place all its nuclear facilities under international safeguards.

Sun also warned against moves by certain countries to seek nuclear capabilities, and referenced recent developments in Japan.

"Senior officials of certain countries have openly advocated pursuing nuclear weapons, seriously undermining the authority and credibility of the NPT," Sun said.

He added that "as a country defeated in World War II, Japan refuses to acknowledge this status, is promoting revisions to its pacifist constitution and its 'Three Non-Nuclear Principles', expanding long-range strike capabilities, and seeking the deployment of nuclear weapons by allies on its territory."

Sun said the international community should prevent Japan from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The remarks come as Japan has stepped up efforts to revise its pacifist constitution and expand its defense posture, moves seen as signaling a shift away from its post-World War II security framework.

Responding to the US delegation, the Chinese delegation on Wednesday also rejected what it called "groundless smears" by the US, saying Washington was misrepresenting China's nuclear policy and shifting attention from its own disarmament responsibilities.

"The so-called 'multilateral nuclear arms control dialogue' proposed by the United States is more political show than substantive engagement," the Chinese representative said, adding that it is based on "erroneous narratives" and distracts from US obligations as a major nuclear power.

China also criticized US withdrawals from key arms control agreements, including the INF Treaty and the Open Skies Treaty, and the approaching expiration of New START, saying these developments have weakened the global arms control framework.

It urged the United States to engage constructively on the topics of no-first-use discussions, security assurances for non-nuclear-weapon states, and responsible follow-on arrangements for New START.

The 11th NPT Review Conference opened Monday and runs through May 22.

minluzhang@chinadailyusa.com