China enters the arms-control arena
Until recent years, China routinely denounced both the substance and process of most arms-control negotiations as a sham or as a two-man comedy act between the superpowers. In Beijing's view, both the United States and the Soviet Union attempted to use arms control to achieve military superiority over the other and to reinforce hegemony over other states. In addition to these sweeping criticisms of superpower arms control, the Chinese generally avoided participation in multilateral arms control fora, denouncing a number of treaties as direct threats to Chinese security. Since the early 1980s, however, China has reversed much of its past opposition to arms control. Chinese participation in United Nations disarmament conferences has become more frequent and more constructive. Chinese commentary on superpower arms control has begun to stress the value that negotiations per se can have for the reduction of global tensions. Indeed, Beijing sees certain potential advantages for Chinese security in US and Soviet arms control, particularly in the areas of strategic defense and intermediate-range nuclear forces. Thus, in part, China's higher profile on arms control is designed to ensure that its interests are, if not fully protected, at least considered in superpower negotiations.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6893672
- Journal Information:
- Arms Control Today; (United States), Journal Name: Arms Control Today; (United States) Vol. 17:6; ISSN ACOTE
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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