Statement by H.E. Ambassador Tan Jian, Head of the Chinese Delegation, During the General Debate of the 100th Session of the Executive Council of the OPCW

(The Hague, 5 July 2022)

Mr. Chairman,

Please allow me, on behalf of the Chinese delegation, to begin by congratulating you on your election as the chairman of the Executive Council.  China is confident that you will make full use of your diplomatic experience and skills to improve the work and atmosphere of the Executive Council, preserve the tradition of consensus and work for the smooth proceedings of this session.  The Chinese delegation will actively support your work.

China associates itself with the statement made by his Excellency Fikrat Akhundov of Azerbaijan on behalf of the States Parties of the Non-Aligned Movement and China. Now, please allow me to elaborate on China's positions further.

At present, changes of the world, of the times and of history are unfolding in an unprecedented way, while the international community is facing grave challenges. In this context, President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022, and proposed the Global Security Initiative for the first time, which calls for staying committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and working together to maintain world peace and security; firmly safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law; upholding true multilateralism; staying committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously, and to peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation.  This initiative also applies to the OPCW.  This year marks the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention of Chemical Weapons (hereinafter referred to as “the Convention”) and the establishment of the OPCW.  Next year, the Fifth Review Conference on the implementation of the Convention will be held. All parties should take this opportunity to strengthen unity and cooperation, restore the tradition of consensus, review the implementation of the Convention comprehensively, formulate effective strategic plans for the future development of the OPCW, and work jointly to safeguard the authority and effectiveness of the Convention.  China has the following propositions:

Firstly, persisting in the advancement of the process of CWs destruction.  The complete and thorough destruction of CWs is the core object of the Convention, and has a bearing on the building of “a world free from chemical weapons”.  China has noted the progress made in the destruction of CWs stockpiles in the recent years, and urges the only CWs stockpile possessor state to complete the destruction as soon as possible.  The process of the disposal of Japanese ACWs is lagging far behind schedule.  China is deeply concerned that Japan has not completed the destruction within the deadline specified in the Convention and the particular decision of the Executive Council, and strongly demands that Japan increase its inputs, fully speed up the destruction process, and solve the problem of the contaminated soil as soon as possible.  As always, China will provide necessary assistance.

Secondly, resolutely maintaining the authority and effectiveness of the Convention.  The Convention represents the fundamental guidance by which to deal with CW-related issues, and must thus be unswervingly upheld.  The interests and concerns of all states can only be coordinated through regimes and rules, and decisions should not be imposed simply by voting.  On  the issue of the alleged use or threat of use of CWs, China believes that the “Decision on Addressing the Threat Posed by Chemical Weapons Use” and the establishment of the “Investigation and Identification Team” both went beyond the mandate of the Convention, hence badly eroding the authority of the Convention and undermining the unity of States Parties.  China calls on all the parties concerned to address their differences in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and through consultation and dialogue, so as to avoid making groundless accusations and even adding fuel to the fire.

Thirdly, making a greater effort to promote international cooperation.  International cooperation constitutes an important pillar of the Convention.  It is also a major direction in which the OPCW’s future work will go. We should coordinate security and development in a holistic way, effectively promote international cooperation, and ensure that States Parties fully enjoy their legitimate right for the peaceful use.  China attaches great importance to international cooperation, and has always supported the Secretariat in carrying out various international cooperation activities.  China appreciates the Technical Secretariat for overcoming the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, innovating working methodologies and making full use of online resources to undertake international cooperation.  The Technical Secretariat is encouraged to sum up its experience and practices and constantly enrich the toolbox of international cooperation.  China has taken note of the recent briefing by the Secretariat on the progress of the construction of the Chemical and Technology Centre.  China encourages all parties to take the centre as an opportunity to reinforce inputs in international cooperation and strengthen the capacity-building of States Parties.

Fourthly, formulating plans for the future development of the Convention and our Organization.  The preparations for the Fifth Review Conference have already begun.  China calls on all parties to play a constructive role; take the objectives of preserving the authority and effectiveness of the Convention and building “a world free from chemical weapons” as the starting point; review the past, look forward to the future, forge consensus and improve our work jointly; work out practical and effective strategic plans for the future development of the OPCW; and make positive contributions to the maintenance of international peace and security.  China expects the Bureau of the OEGW to perform its duties actively, act as a bridge between the States Parties in various regions and work to promote consensus, in an effort to help eventually bring positive results out of the Fifth Review Conference.

Mr. Chairman,

China attaches great importance to the implementation of the Convention.  Overcoming the impact  the pandemic, China has submitted its national declarations on time, strengthened the management of the import and export of its scheduled chemicals according to law. The Chinese side noted the Director General’s assertation that this year’s industrial inspection plan would not be completed due to the travel restrictions in China. I would like to stress that, for years, China has always been the State Party receiving the most number of inspections. Since the beginning of this year, China has been in close communication with the Secretariat, and actively coordinated with relevant domestic departments to resume industrial inspection in China. The Director General’s blame on China is inconsistent with the facts and reality, and cannot be understood or accepted by China. China will continue to fulfill its obligations under the Convention and receive industrial inspections. At the same time, we also request the Secretariat to respect China’s Covid-19 control policies and work together with China in the same direction to facilitate the smooth conduct of industrial inspections.

The Chinese delegation requests that this statement be circulated as an official document of the this session and published on the OPCW’s public website and extranet.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.