June 18, 1998

China, U.S. Should Sign No-first-use Pact

China and the United States should first sign an agreement on no-first-use of nuclear weapons ahead of detargeting missiles to each other, said Zhu Bangzao, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the press conference on June 18.

Zhu made the remark in response to a question on whether China will sign an agreement with the United States on missile detargeting during President Bill Clinton's coming China visit. Zhu said that the purpose for China to develop nuclear weapons is for self-defence, adding that China from the first day of owning nuclear weapons has undertaken not to use such weapons first.

"We believe that it is more important for China and the United States to first sign the no-first-use pact," he noted.