The statement came as Hu Xiaodi, the Chinese ambassador on disarmament, took the floor at the general debate of the First Committee of the 57th General Assembly session. The committee is in charge of the disarmament and international security affairs.

"China has always been firm in its policy of not supporting, encouraging or assisting other countries to develop weapons of mass destruction (WMD)," he said. "China is fully aware of its international nonproliferation responsibility."

For years, China has constantly improved its export control mechanism and promulgated a series of laws and regulations on the export control of sensitive items on the basis of its own practice and drawing upon the experience of other countries, he said.

In view of the new situation after its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, China has intensified its efforts to enhance its export control by legal means, he said.

Recently, the Chinese government promulgated "the Regulations on Export Control of Missiles and Missile-related Items and Technologies" and "the Missiles and Missile-related Items and Technologies Export Control List," he said.

"China has thus put its export control of missiles and related items and technologies as well as missile-related dual-use items and technologies into a legal framework," he said.

"We will establish a comprehensive system of export controls over sensitive items covering nuclear, biological, chemical and missile fields," he said. "We will continue to enhance law enforcement to ensure full implementation of the existing laws and regulations, and to improve our nonproliferation mechanism in light of the changing situation."

"We would also broaden and deepen exchanges and cooperation with other countries in the nonproliferation field so as to make greater contribution to the international nonproliferation process," he added.

The improvement of overall international relations is conducive to the global efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), Hu said.

“To prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery means and to eliminate those weapons eventually is crucial for maintaining and enhancing international peace and security," he said.

"The increasing threat of terrorism today has brought more urgency to international nonproliferation efforts and new challenges to the international nonproliferation regime," he said.

"The proliferation of WMD and their delivery means has complex causes and is directly related to the regional and global security environment," he said. "Its fundamental solution requires the improvement of overall international relations and lies in political, legal and diplomatic means."

"Use or threat of force does not help and would prove counter-productive," he said.

"Full participation of and close cooperation among all states is the prerequisite for the success of international nonproliferation efforts, and the guarantee for the impartiality and sustainability in these efforts," he said.

"In this regard, we should give full play to the role of the United Nations and other international organizations," he said.

"Disarmament and nonproliferation are mutually complementary," he said. "Without nonproliferation, disarmament could hardly be achieved; without progress in disarmament, nonproliferation could hardly be effective and sustainable."

(Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2002)