International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation

Bulletin 18 - Space Without Weapons

China Warns Conference on Disarmament That Consequences of Weaponization of Outer Space Would Be Most Serious

Conference on Disarmament Press Release, June 7, 2001(Extract)

The Conference on Disarmament this morning held its weekly plenary and heard statements from the Representative of China on the issue of the prevention of an arms race in outer space, and from its President concerning consultations to seek consensus on a programme of work.

Ambassador Hu Xiaodi of China said that his country was submitting to the Conference a working paper entitled 'possible elements of the future international legal instrument on the prevention of the weaponization of outer space'. He said that negotiating such an international legal instrument was not only necessary, it was a pressing task in the field of multilateral arms control and disarmament. The danger was imminent and the issue most urgent. The danger came from the development of the missile defense system and the 'space control' plan.

Ambassador Hu said the consequences of the weaponization of outer space would be most serious and in no one's interest. As the world's single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, the Conference on Disarmament should play its role in this regard. [...]

Statements

Hu Xiaodi (China) said that his country's position on the issue of the prevention of an arms race in outer space was very clear. China was committed to promoting the international community to negotiate and conclude a legally binding international instrument on the prevention of the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space. Today, upon the instruction of the Chinese Government, the delegation was submitting to the Conference a working paper entitled 'possible elements of the future international legal instrument on the prevention of the weaponization of outer space'.

Mr. Hu said that if there was a serious examination of the current state of outer space utilization and the relevant developments in outer space, it would not be difficult to draw the conclusion that negotiating such an international legal instrument was not only necessary, but it was also a pressing task in the field of multilateral arms control and disarmament. It was well known that outer space was now faced with the danger of being weaponized, which manifested itself in two aspects, namely the development of the missile defense programme and the 'space control' plan. It had been made clear that the missile defense system currently under research and development would go beyond the constraints of the Anti-Ballistic Missiles Treaty. Equally alarming was the 'space war exercise' which took place in late January 2001. These developments clearly demonstrated that the weaponization of outer space was by no means a remote issue. The danger was imminent and the issue most urgent. For any preventive measure to have effect, the international community must act right away.

Mr. Hu said that if any country was really worried about possible menace to its space interests, this could certainly be alleviated through the negotiation and conclusion of a treaty on the prevention of space weaponization as suggested by China. However, if the real motivation towards outer space was to defy the obligations of international legal instruments and seek unilateral and absolute military and strategic superiority based on political, economic and military strength, that would be another matter. The consequences of the weaponization of outer space would be most serious and in no one's interest. As the world's single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, the Conference on Disarmament should play its role in this regard. China reiterated its call to all countries to negotiate and conclude an international legal instrument on the prevention of the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space, on the basis of strict compliance with existing multilateral and bilateral treaties and agreements applied for outer space. [...]