SUN: JAPAN HAS BECOME THREAT TO REGIONAL PEACE AND STABILITY

NEW YORK, OCTOBER 9 /SRNA/ – Sun Xiaobo, Director-General of the Department of Arms Control at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Japan’s accelerated remilitarization had become a factor threatening regional peace and stability.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly’s session on disarmament and international security, Sun noted that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials.

"Japan joined the United Nations on the premise that it would acknowledge its militarist crimes and accept the full content of the UN Charter. However, the current Japanese authorities are denying their history of aggression and glorifying Second World War war criminals, while continuing to strengthen their military capabilities and accelerate remilitarization, thereby becoming a factor threatening regional peace and stability," Sun stressed.

He added that prominent Japanese officials had openly made arrogant statements about possessing nuclear weapons and were attempting to abandon the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, which he described as a serious provocation and a violation of the international nuclear non-proliferation system.

"Japan’s proposal to remove the enemy-state clause from the UN Charter is the latest example of challenging the post-war international order under the guise of national normalization," Sun said.

He stressed that Japan should deeply reflect on its history of aggression, completely sever its ties with militarism, thoroughly abandon its attempts at remilitarization, and fulfil its international legal obligations concerning nuclear non-proliferation.

Sun stated that "the USA, obsessed with absolute strategic superiority, continues to build a nuclear alliance through nuclear sharing and extended deterrence, seriously undermining global and regional strategic stability."

"Their double standards in arms control and non-proliferation are the main reason for the slowdown in multilateral arms control efforts and the damage to the international nuclear non-proliferation system. China firmly supports the important role of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as the cornerstone of the international system for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament," Sun said.

He emphasized that China adheres to the principles of fairness, cooperation, balance and effectiveness in arms control, and is committed to being a force for peace, stability and progress in a turbulent world, the China Media Group reported.

"China will keep practicing genuine multilateralism, support the international arms control process under the UN, and cooperate with all peace-loving countries to make new contributions to building a community with a shared future for humanity," Sun concluded.