It would protect the fundamental interests of the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

On Monday, Colonel Jian Bin, a new spokesperson for China’s Defense Ministry, stated that “the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Southeast Asia is of great importance for strengthening the international nonproliferation system and promoting regional peace and stability.”

RELATED:

China Urges the U.S. To Adopt an Impartial, Rational, Pragmatic Policy

Jiang pointed out that such a zone “would help protect the fundamental security interests of the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).”

“Some individuals in the Philippines frequently launch baseless attacks and slander against China’s efforts to maintain regional peace,” he said, referring to recent comments by Manila authorities calling on Beijing to “lead denuclearization” to “demonstrate its sincerity.”

Jiang called those remarks “bewildering” and affirmed that Beijing maintains a “no first use” nuclear policy and is committed “not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or in nuclear-weapon-free zones.”

“China’s nuclear energy and nuclear policy are important contributions to world peace, something the international community clearly recognizes,” he added.

Although ASEAN is China’s largest trading partner, Beijing has ongoing territorial disputes with several of its members, including the Philippines and Vietnam, particularly over the South China Sea, which the Asian giant claims almost in its entirety.

In those waters, clashes between Chinese coast guard vessels and Philippine ships are common, especially since defense ties between Manila and Washington were strengthened following the 2022 election of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

IN THIS ARTICLE