BEIJING, April 27 -- China firmly opposes the US's accusations and smears against China in its 2023 Compliance Report, an annual report accessing the US compliance with and adherence to arms control, nonproliferation and disarmament agreements and related commitments, and urges the US side to earnestly address the international community's legitimate concerns over its compliance issue, said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference on Thursday.
Senior Colonel Tan made this remark when asked to comment on the US 2023 Compliance Report, which accusing China of lacking transparency in nuclear testing activities, pursuing an offensive biological weapons program, proliferating missile technology, among other things. "These accusations are totally groundless, fabricated and are deliberate smear," he said, adding that in the fields of arms control, nonproliferation and disarmament, the US in recent years has followed a selective approach dictated by pragmatism, and adopted double standards that only differentiate between friends and foes, regardless of right or wrong.
The spokesperson pointed out that for nuclear nonproliferation, the US constantly shifted the blame, shirked its responsibility, and even withdrew from treaties and organizations. As the only country that blocked the BWC verification protocol negotiations, the US had built over 100 biological laboratories around the world. And now, it is mulling over developing new-type nuclear warhead, cooperating with the UK and Australia on nuclear submarines, and advancing its military programs in outer space and cyberspace. These actions have seriously eroded global and regional strategic stability, and gravely hindered the multilateral arms control, nonproliferation and disarmament process.
Meanwhile, China firmly upholds the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law, commits to true multilateralism, and faithfully fulfills its international obligations and commitments by taking solid actions to preserve the international arms control and nonproliferation system, the spokesperson further noted.
In the end, Senior Colonel Tan stated that China urges the US side to reflect on itself rather than point fingers at others, and earnestly address the international community's legitimate concerns over its compliance issue.