I. Grim Realities: International Security and Arms Control

In today's world, the international strategic landscape is evolving at an accelerating pace, the global balance of power is shifting towards greater equilibrium, multilateralism is valued, and factors safeguarding world peace and security are on the rise. At the same time, the global security situation is complicated and menacing: Hegemonism, power politics, and unilateralism pose a severe threat to the post-war international order; geopolitical rivalry is intensifying; regional conflicts and unrest are becoming more frequent; and the arms race is escalating. Concurrently, issues related to international arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation are becoming more complex and multidimensional. Overall, the situation presents both opportunities and challenges.

Competition between major countries is impacting regional peace and security. A certain country seeks absolute strategic superiority by constantly expanding its armaments, strengthening combat readiness, and provoking bloc confrontation. This has led to escalated international and regional arms race, outbreaks of regional conflicts at multiple spots, and repeated new highs in global military expenditures. In particular, this country has strengthened military alliances in the Asia-Pacific region, exercised extended deterrence, and forward-deployed ground-based intermediate-range missiles, provoking tension and opposition and severely undermining the security and interests of countries in the region.

Global strategic stability faces severe threats. This certain country keeps adjusting its nuclear policies, stubbornly maintaining a massive nuclear weapons stockpile while further reinforcing its nuclear deterrence and war-fighting capabilities. This has resulted in rising risks of global nuclear conflicts. Meanwhile, missile defense technologies are advancing rapidly, and military applications in emerging fields such as outer space, cyberspace, and AI are developing at a fast pace. All these factors are reshaping the traditional strategic offense-defense dynamic, posing new challenges to global strategic stability.

The international arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation regimes are eroding. This certain country has undermined the international arms control regime by withdrawing from relevant international agreements. The international nonproliferation regime has suffered from pragmatism and double standards. A handful of countries, driven by a "small yard with high fences" mentality, pursue decoupling, sever industrial and supply chains, and restrict developing countries' peaceful use of science and technology in the name of nonproliferation.

Security risks and challenges in emerging fields are becoming more prominent. With the rapid development of emerging technologies, uncontrolled use of technologies, data theft, technological crimes, and violation of ethics are on the rise. These issues highlight the absence of international rules and the lag in governance systems. The militarization trend in emerging fields is accelerating. This is destabilizing traditional principles of warfare and war ethics and posing new challenges to global security.

Rising calls for stronger arms control are in essence calls for peace and justice. The Global South is achieving greater autonomy in addressing global security and development affairs. The drive to promote a fair, just and reasonable international arms control regime and to safeguard world peace and stability is growing stronger. China is committed to upholding the international arms control regime with the UN at its core. It actively promotes sound global security governance and serves as a key promoter of international arms control.