Topic: Autonomous Weapon Systems
Country: China
Delegate Name: Brooke Bacigal
School: Forest Hills Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All China position papers GLIMUN 2015 committees
Machines, with varying degrees of artificial intelligence, and humans have coexisted for many years, yet the idea of robotic autonomy has recently engendered a multitude of concerns. Due in part to the fact that the rate at which automation advancement in systems is increasing, has accelerated dramatically across both militaries and the commercial sector, dictating the necessity for the immediate discussion of this topic. Some states and activist groups are pushing to ban any further development of these technologies whatsoever, but such a ban would impede on the potential for positive progress when forging the range of the technologically possible.
The People’s Republic of China believes that research into these possibilities should not be pre-emptively banned. This is an issue that demands greater vigilance to address the implications arising from existing and emerging weapons and their technologies. China is willing to comply by allowing transparency within weapons production and research, and also encourages other states pursuing the production of these weapons to follow this example in national research and development activities. Regarding the potential for developing a policy to govern autonomous weapons systems, China necessitates that work be done in a gradual and progressive manner in order to forge consensus. Generally speaking, China is open to the discussions of this issue under the framework of the Convention on Conventional Weapons. Given the complicated legal, humanitarian, and technical aspects, relevant study of the scope and key definitions are needed to formulate a viable protocol. Specifically the clarification of nascent terminology like true “autonomy”, and the idea of “meaningful human control.” Without determining these key definitions early on, no progress will likely ensue.
China stresses the importance of upholding the primacy and dignity of the human being, without limiting society’s scientific potential. And reiterates that the role of autonomy in the use of force is a complicated issue that merits further consideration and that key definitions are needed to conceptualize a future resolution.
Works Cited:
Autonomous Weapons Systems: Technical, Military, Legal and Humanitarian Aspects (2014): International Committee of the Red Cross. Geneva, Switzerland 28 Mar. 2014.
Framing Discussions on the Weaponization of Increasingly Autonomous Technologies. Geneva: UNIDIR. United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, 2014.
