UN General Assembly
1985

The aforesaid points are all reasonable measures for resolving the most pressing issues of our time. We hope that the above proposal will be considered by the General Assembly in the interest of promoting disarmament and a relaxation of international tension. China's position on disarmament is clear and firm. We are resolutely opposed to the arms race and stand for practical and effective measures to reduce armaments. China's military expenditure has long been kept at a low level. Although there has been a fairly rapid growth in China's economy in recent years, its military expenditure has not increased correspondingly. The few nuclear weapons China possesses and the United number of nuclear tests it has conducted are solely for the purpose of self-defense. On the very first day we came into possession of a nuclear force, we declared that China would never be the first to use nuclear weapons. China has also undertaken not to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear States or nuclear-free zones.