Envoy: Japan a key threat to regional peace

Chinese envoy Sun Xiaobo outlined China's positions on a range of major disarmament and international security issues at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly Disarmament and International Security Committee (First Committee) on Thursday.

Japan, with its remilitarization drive, has become a prominent factor threatening regional peace and stability, said Sun, head of the Chinese delegation to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly First Committee.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trial. Japan was admitted to the United Nations on the premise that it would recognize the crimes of Japanese militarism and accept the UN Charter in its entirety.

However, the current Japanese government denies Japan's history of aggression, glorifies war crimes, and worships war criminals of World War II, Sun said. Meanwhile, it has continuously stepped up military buildup and accelerated remilitarization, attempted to abandon the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, and has thus become a prominent factor threatening regional peace and stability, he added.

"Current Japanese high-ranking officials have openly made reckless remarks about discussing the possession of nuclear weapons without any taboos, which is a serious provocation of and trampling on the international nuclear nonproliferation regime," said Sun, who is director-general of the Arms Control Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Japan's proposal to delete the "enemy state clause" from the UN Charter is the latest example of its challenge to the postwar international order under the guise of normal country status, he said.

The international community should seriously reflect on any act that condones or even supports the remilitarization of Japan, urge Japan to profoundly reflect on its history of aggression, make a clean break with militarism, completely abandon its plans for remilitarization, and genuinely fulfill its nonproliferation obligations under international law, Sun said.

Beyond the Japan issue, Sun also addressed broader disarmament and international security issues.

Sun said the United States continues to pursue "absolute strategic superiority" through nuclear-sharing arrangements and extended deterrence, which China believes affect global and regional strategic stability.

China called for stronger multilateral arms control efforts and greater international cooperation on the peaceful use of technology, Sun said.

Sun reaffirmed China's support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, calling it "the cornerstone of the international nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament regime".

Applications of AI

Turning to military applications of artificial intelligence, Sun noted four principles for its development and governance: human control, responsible use, differentiated regulation and inclusive consultation.

"Humans must remain the ultimate responsible actors, and relevant weapons systems must remain under human control," he said.

Sun said countries should not use the technology to seek "absolute military superiority" and called for avoiding an AI arms race.

Sun said China would again submit a draft resolution on promoting international cooperation on peaceful uses of science and technology in the context of international security to the General Assembly this year.

"The peaceful use of science and technology is an inalienable right of all countries under international law," he said, adding that such cooperation is important for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Xinhua contributed to this story.