Q: It is said that Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada made remarks on the nuclear issue against China at the 4th China-Japan-ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Gyeongju. He accused China of failing to fulfill its commitment to nuclear disarmament as China kept enlarging its nuclear arsenal when the international community is engaged in nuclear disarmament. Thus Japan felt “strongly concerned”. Please brief us on the situation.

A: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi rebutted such irresponsible remarks on the spot and pointed out that China’s nuclear strategy and policy was very clear, that its proposition and efforts on nuclear disarmament were widely recognized. China always stands for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons and firmly pursues the nuclear strategy of self-defence. China is the only nuclear-weapon state that undertakes not to be the first to use nuclear weapons and not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones. China never participates in any forms of nuclear arms race or deploys nuclear weapons in other countries. China will continue to keep its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required for national security. This itself is China’s unique contribution to the process of international nuclear disarmament. China’s position is proper, transparent and above reproach.

China hopes that Japanese Foreign Minister could respect facts and keep the overall China-Japan relations and the fundamental interests of the two peoples in mind.