Topic: 2025 – No First Use Policies and Nuclear Disarmament
Country: China
Delegate Name: Ananya Arulmurugan
Disarmament and International Security Committee
No First Use Policies and Nuclear Disarmament
People’s Republic of China
Ananya Arulmurugan
Nuclear disarmament is a prevalent issue that stems from the end of World War 2, when the United States of America dropped a nuclear bomb on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since then, there have been resounding calls to cease or reduce the threat posed by nuclear weapons, as they are one of the most urgent and pressing challenges to global peace and security. Currently, there are nine countries that possess nuclear weapons: The United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel, North Korea, and the People’s Republic of China. Of those countries, only the People’s Republic of China maintains an unconditional No First Use Policy. An NFU policy is where a nuclear-armed states commit to never initiate a nuclear strike. All other countries with nuclear powers reserve the right to resort to nuclear weaponry, which can create an unsteady global environment. The United Nations has addressed this topic numerous times; in fact, DISEC was created with nuclear weapons in mind. Relevant UN documents include the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which both emphasize the need to diminish the role of nuclear weapons across the world. Furthermore, there are nuclear-weapon-free zones throughout the world where the law prohibits the use of nuclear arms. As global conflicts rise across the world, it is more important than ever to implement NFU policy and gradual disarmament to preserve international stability.
As mentioned earlier, the People’s Republic of China remains the sole nuclear power to implement a No-First-Use policy, a continuity to the country’s long-standing history of non-aggression. This policy has been in effect since 1964, when China first gained nuclear arms. China has also continuously supported disarmament efforts under the United Nations by participating in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Conference on Disarmament. China is also a vocal supporter of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, signing it in 1996. The People’s Republic of China asserts, however, that it will not get rid of its nuclear arms until all other nuclear powers also commit to disarmament. Along with these actions, maintaining a smaller nuclear arsenal, its moratorium on nuclear testing, and its continued support for nuclear reduction on the global stage affirms the People’s Republic of China’s commitment to nuclear non-aggression.
In line with those affirmations, the People’s Republic of China would like to see the world implement a universal No-First-Use Framework. A UN resolution encouraging all nuclear-weapon states to adopt NFU policies and legally binding Negative Security Assurances (pledges that nuclear states will not use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states), as NFU policies are the most effective and realistic nuclear risk-reduction measure available currently. Further solutions supported include lowering the operational status of nuclear weapons and a legally binding Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty. Lowering the operational status of nuclear weapons would mean making it harder to launch nuclear weapons, as many nuclear states currently maintain portions of their arsenal on hair-trigger alerts, meaning that they can launch nukes within minutes. Making it harder and slower to launch nuclear weapons can prevent rushed decisions that could end millions of lives. A Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty would ban the production of fissile materials, preventing the construction of newer, deadlier weapons. Though disarmament is good for the overall well-being of the world’s population, this process must be led by nuclear states with major arsenals, as the distribution of these weapons is a delicate balance that could easily disrupt the global stage. Therefore, while disarmament should be prioritized, it should be done slowly and realistically, considering the context surrounding it.
