Madam Chair,

The multilateral disarmament machinery, with the United Nations as its core, embodies the aspirations of mankind for general and complete disarmament and lasting peace. The UN’s Pact for the Future specifically mentions that "We recognize the importance of maintaining and strengthening the role of the United Nations disarmament machinery", which is an important consensus of the international community.

We are facing a turbulent world, with security disorder and governance dysfunction becoming increasingly serious, and regional conflicts and geopolitical tensions continuing to rise. The multilateral arms control and disarmament process has stalled. There is serious trust deficit among major powers, featured with a new normal with confrontation instead of dialogue and voting instead of consensus. In this context, the traditional multilateral disarmament machinery has become more politicized, polarized and fragmented, putting its effectiveness in constant question.

In the face of aggravation of international and regional security situations, we should think deeply about how to maintain the authority of the multilateral disarmament machinery, and take the successful convening of the UN Summit of the Future as an opportunity to promote the revitalization of multilateral disarmament machinery. In this regard, China would like to make the following suggestions:

First, we should uphold a right vision of security. The hegemonic concept of pursuing absolute security at the cost of other countries' legitimate security and development rights should be abandoned. The Cold War mentality and double standards will only aggravate confrontation. There will be no winners in confrontation, nor will it help promote disarmament.

The right way forward is to uphold the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, respect each other's legitimate security concerns, and advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. Only in this way can we break the current security gap dilemma.

Secondly, we should maintain the authority and effectiveness of disarmament machinery. As the most authoritative and professional multilateral disarmament machinery, CD, UNDC and UNGA First Committee should balance development and security imperatives, respond to the dynamics of global security situation, and resist the tendency of politicization and manipulation. All parties should demonstrate political will and strictly follow the mandate of each mechanism, work on the basis of full consultation, and seek the biggest common denominator on security and development issues concerning the future of mankind.

In this regard, China welcomes the positive progress made in the work of the Conference on Disarmament this year and looks forward to relevant subsidiary bodies resuming substantive work as soon as possible on the basis of reaching a program of work next year. China also welcomes the smooth start of the new review cycle of the Disarmament Commission.

China appreciates the indispensable role played by the UNODA and it regional centers as well as the UNIDIR in terms of promoting the international arms control process, supporting important disarmament conferences and negotiations, strengthening disarmament policy research and education, and enhancing the disarmament awareness and capacity building of various countries. China supports increasing resource input to relevant institutions while ensuring geographic representation in order to safeguard their authority, professionalism and fairness in fulfilling their duties. China is ready to continue to strengthen cooperation with relevant institutions.

China has always supported the efforts of the UNODA in strengthening disarmament policy education and enhancing the capacity building of various countries. Last week, China successfully received the visit by the 2024 UN Disarmament Fellowship. Youth is the future of disarmament career, and China is ready to continue to strengthen cooperation with the UNODA in relevant fields.

Thirdly, we should keep pace with the times to address risks and challenges brought by emerging technologies. Emerging technologies such as AI, cyber and outer space are developing rapidly. While empowering sustainable development, they may also bring about security risks. While focusing on traditional topics, the disarmament machinery should also actively formulate and improve global governance rules for emerging technologies in a perspective of development, and avoid introducing politicization and ideology into this field to make technology better benefit mankind.

Madam Chair,

The founding mission of the UN is to "turn swords into plowshares" to pursue peace and development. Safeguarding the disarmament machinery is safeguarding the UN's founding mission, which is to prevent war and maintain peace.

China supports the convening of the SSOD-IV as soon as possible to jointly determines the goals and direction of arms control and disarmament under the new situation on the basis of the Final Document of SSOD-I. China appreciates the efforts made by the UN and the Secretary General, and stands ready to work with all parties to maintain and strengthen the disarmament machinery and advance the arms control and disarmament process.

Thank you, Madam Chair.