IV. Promoting International Exchanges and Cooperation
As an active participant, China prioritizes international exchanges and cooperation on export controls. It endeavors to boost mutual trust, ease doubts, increase mutual learning, strengthen international coordination, and promote trading in export-controlled items that is consistent with compliance requirements, so as to contribute to a more open and just regime for international export controls.
1. Conducting Bilateral Exchanges and Cooperation
Based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, China engages in international exchanges and cooperation on export controls, in order to increase mutual trust through dialogue and consultation. These efforts reflect China's open and cooperative attitude, and facilitate win-win cooperation.
China promotes trading in export-controlled items that is consistent with compliance requirements. China has established inter-governmental mechanisms with various countries and regions to share experience and practices through government-to-government consultations and discussions and dialogues with business. China has also maintained communication with export control authorities in other countries to strengthen exchanges and cooperation. To build up mutual trust and cooperation, China has signed bilateral agreements with Russia and several other countries for mutual issuing of end-user and end-use certificates.
China is deeply involved in bilateral exchanges and cooperation on export controls and non-proliferation. China and the US have held multiple seminars on identifying export-controlled items to promote exchanges on enforcement skills. In nuclear non-proliferation, China has maintained consultations and exchanges with the US, Russia, the UK, France, Germany, and the EU to take resolute action against illegal activities through information exchanges and cooperation on enforcement. With respect to controlled chemicals, China has engaged in bilateral exchanges and cooperation with other States Parties under the framework of the CWC, and conducted end-user and end-use verifications in Germany, Spain, the Republic of Korea, Japan and other countries. China has established consultation mechanisms with more than ten countries at vice-ministerial and director-general levels on strategic security, arms control, and non-proliferation, which, as platforms for sharing non-proliferation experience and practices, have played a crucial role in increasing mutual understanding and cooperation.
In addition to inter-governmental cooperation, China also supports non-governmental exchanges and cooperation on export control. Chinese institutions such as the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce, the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, and the China Nuclear Energy Association, have held non-governmental exchanges, conducted academic research, and engaged in international people-to-people interactions with research institutions of other countries. Through symposiums, forums and on-site visits, these institutions have increased mutual understanding and friendship with their foreign counterparts.
2. Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue and Consultation
As part of the effort to promote world peace and regional security, China prioritizes communication and consultation on global issues and emergencies via the UN and multilateral export control mechanisms.
China advocates that as the most representative international organization, the UN should play a central role in finding the right balance between non-proliferation and peaceful uses, and in safeguarding the legitimate rights of developing countries to peaceful uses of technological advances. In December 2021, the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the China-initiated resolution "Promoting International Cooperation on Peaceful Uses in the Context of International Security", which emphasizes the significance of international cooperation in science and technology for peaceful purposes in facilitating economic and social development, and urges all Member States, without prejudice to their non-proliferation obligations, to lift unnecessary restrictions on peaceful use in developing countries. The adoption of this resolution marks the beginning of an open, inclusive and just dialogue process under the UNGA framework, which is in line with the common interests of the international community. It represents a critical contribution to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of all countries concerning peaceful uses of technology, ensuring that scientific and technological dividends are widely shared to the benefit of all, and addressing the security challenges arising from scientific and technological progress. It is also conducive to fuller and more balanced implementation of the NPT, the CWC, the BWC and other international treaties, and to greater dialogue and exchanges between other countries and State Members of the existing mechanisms on non-proliferation and export control, to better serve shared security and development. China will continue to work with all other parties to advance this dialogue process under the UNGA framework.
In April 2004, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1540 (UNSCR 1540), which requires all countries to reinforce domestic management and export control of WMD and relevant materials and technologies, and to prevent and combat the proliferation of such items among non-state actors. As the first UN Security Council resolution dedicated to non-proliferation, this advances international cooperation under international law. China actively supports and participates in non-proliferation efforts under relevant UN frameworks, including the 1540 Committee, and works vigorously to promote the comprehensive review of UNSCR 1540. To strengthen its enforcement in Asia, China and the 1540 Committee hosted three training sessions - "Training Course for the 1540 Points of Contact in the Asia-Pacific Region" - in the Chinese cities of Qingdao, Xi'an and Xiamen in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Since its accession to the NSG in 2004, China has conscientiously assumed its membership obligations, actively taken part in policy consultations, drawing up lists, information sharing, and other NSG matters, and stepped up export control cooperation with other NSG members. Following the NSG Guidelines, China has amended Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Control of Nuclear Export and Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Control of Nuclear Dual-use Items and Related Technologies Export. In the amendments, acceptance of comprehensive safeguards and oversight by the importing country is a precondition for the export of nuclear materials, and the export control lists are routinely updated in sync with the NSG's control list.
China officially applied to join the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2004, and has since maintained communication and exchanges, with five rounds of dialogue focusing on China's accession and issues regarding control systems, lists and the enforcement of missile export controls. China referred to the MTCR Guidelines and Annex when formulating its missile export control regulations and control list.
China has maintained communication and exchanges with the Wassenaar Arrangement. The two sides have held five rounds of in-depth dialogue on control principles, lists, and best practices pertaining to the export of conventional arms and relevant dual-use items and technologies.
China has been involved in six rounds of consultation with the Australia Group (AG) on biological and chemical non-proliferation, implementation of the CWC and the BWC, and operation of the AG.
China is willing to work with the international community to ensure that multilateral export control mechanisms are just and open, and to increase the diversity and breadth of representation in their membership. China upholds solidarity and cooperation, opposes discriminatory approaches, and advocates that all countries work together to address serious global issues and create a brighter future for humanity.
