(The Hague, 25 November 2025)

Mr. Chairperson,

I would like to congratulate you on your election as the chairperson of the Thirtieth Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Chinese delegation will cooperate with you and other delegations fully, in an effort to bring this session to a positive outcome. China associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Uganda on behalf of the NAM States Parties and China. I would like now to elaborate on China’s positions further.

Mr. Chairperson,

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. For 80 years, the United Nations has played an irreplaceable role in maintaining global peace and promoting shared development. As an important component of the international system with the United Nations at its core, the OPCW has made significant contributions to building a world free of chemical weapons and promoting the application of chemical technologies for the benefit of all mankind.

Today, 80 years later, the world is fraught with entangled complexities and intensified turmoils. Fairness and justice are being trampled upon, hegemonic bullying is rampant, the international security landscape is complex and severe, and the multilateral arms control mechanisms are thus impacted. Under the influence of the broader global political climate, the OPCW is facing mounting challenges, with a prominent tendency towards politicization and the erosion of multilateralism.

In September this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping solemnly proposed the Global Governance Initiative, which, together with the previously proposed global initiatives on development, security and civilization, forms an organic integral system, contributing the Chinese wisdom and solutions to addressing global changes and solving pressing tough problems. China is willing to follow this principle, strengthen unity and cooperation with all the other States Parties, uphold the founding aspirations of the Convention and advance the work of OPCW in keeping with the times, thereby acting as a defender of international peace and security, a contributor to world development and prosperity and a promoter of improving global governance.

Firstly, we should uphold firmly the authority of the Convention and ensure the complete and thorough destruction of the chemical weapons abandoned by Japan in China(JACWs) at an early date. Eighty years have passed since the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against the Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, but the scourge of the JACWs has not yet been eradicated, hence becoming the biggest obstacle to building a world free of chemical weapons. The process of the destruction of the JACWs has remained far behind schedule, having failed to meet its deadline four times, thus severely damaging the authority of the Convention, gravely threatening the lives, property and ecological environment of the Chinese people, and seriously affecting China’s economic and social development.

2027 will be a crucial year for the implementation of the current JACWs destruction plan. The completion of the destruction on time is a major historical responsibility and an international obligation of Japan under the Convention. China urges Japan to correct its historical attitude, shoulder its historical responsibility, fulfill its obligations under the Convention, substantially increase its resources inputs, accelerate the process of excavation, recovery and destruction, and resolve issues such as the lack of the information on the burial sites and the contaminated soil as soon as possible, so as to restore a clean land to the Chinese people. China calls on the international community to pay more attention to the JACWs issues and requests that the OPCW reinforce its monitoring and verification efforts in order to remove the biggest real obstacle standing in the way of realizing the noble vision of a world free of chemical weapons.

Secondly, we should jointly promote multilateralism and uphold the spirit of unity and cooperation. Since its establishment 28 years ago, the States Parties to the Convention have upheld multilateralism and the spirit of unity and cooperation, making historic achievements in chemical weapons disarmament and international cooperation. However, in recent years, the OPCW has shown insufficient willingness for having dialogue and consultation; its politicization has become increasingly prominent; and bloc confrontation has also intensified. Practices such as political manipulation of chemical weapons issues and forming a “governance clique” have emerged one after another, and the easy resort to voting has become the norm. The tradition of consensus-based decision-making has been severely eroded, which causesgrave concern among States Parties.

All parties should uphold the purposes and objectives of the Convention, adhere to the principle of multilateralism based on coordination and cooperation, respect one another, show mutual understanding and accommodation, replace confrontation with dialogue and meet challenges with cooperation. Major powers should assume greater responsibility in maintaining solidarity and promoting cooperation. Regarding the hot-spots issues, the focus should be on the merits of the case, while transcending narrow-minded geopolitical factors, and adhering to dialogue and consultation for finding a solution. Foribly pushing for a  vote should be avoided, still less should sanctions be threatened at every turn. The core provisions of the Convention should be implemented in a full and balanced way, rather selectively applied when it serves one’s own interests and disregarded when it does not.

To uphold multilateralism, solidarity and cooperation at the OPCW, and enable it to play a greater role in global governance, the Chinese delegation submitted a position paper to the Conference and organised a thematic side event on the first day of the Conference. I would like to thank for the attendance by many delegates and look forward to having more exchange of views on this topic.

Thirdly, we should keep to equal participation and continuously improve the governance mechanism of the OPCW. With 193 States Parties, the OPCW is one of the most universal multilateral arms control organisations. When dealing with matters concerning the long-term development of the OPCW, we must adhere to the States Parties-driven approach, ensuring that, regardless of size or strength, they all have the right to participate, join in decision-making and receive benefit on an equal footing.

We should well explore the reforms to the composition of OPCW Policy Making Organs in a bid to reflect the geographical balance better, and promote fairness and inclusiveness in the decision-making process. We should accelerate the implementation of the “Action Plan on Geographical Representation”, thus providing more opportunities for talent from developing countries to work in the Technical Secretariat. We should strengthen the capacity-building of the Technical Secretariat, optimize its staffing, improve its working efficiency, and ensure the balanced and efficient use of its funds. China supports the constructive discussions held by the Open-Ended Working Group on the Current Implementation of the Rules Governing the Elections of Members of the Executive Council, in an effort to foster a solution which is consistent with the Convention and acceptable to all sides.

Fourthly, we should endeavour for achieving real results and work together to calibrate the direction of the OPCW’s transformation and development. The peaceful use of chemical science and technologies and industry development is a right granted to the States Parties by the Convention, and also an important guarantee for modernization. Therefore, developing countries are in urgent need of it.

The OPCW should place the peaceful use in a more salient position, while earnestly implementing Article XI of the Convention, actively carrying out international cooperation programs, and promoting the application of chemical technologies among all States Parties. The rapid development of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, exerts a significant impact on the implementation of the Convention. China supports the OPCW’s in-depth participation in artificial intelligence governance. Reform to the industry inspection regime should be advanced to improve the effectiveness of inspections and make them more in line with the chemical industry landscapes. Investigations into the alleged use of chemical weapons should be handled strictly within the framework of the Convention. The establishment of the Office of Special Missions, the perpetuation of attribution mechanism and the expansion of its mandates are of great significance, and should thus be discussed and decided upon by all States Parties.

Mr. Chairperson,

China has always firmly upheld the purposes and principles of the Convention and exemplarily implemented its obligations under the Convention. As the second largest contributor, China provides considerable and stable financial support for the efficient operation of the OPCW. As the country with the world’s largest chemical industry, China has received 33 industry inspections annually for three consecutive years, and has, to date, received a total of over 500 industry inspections without a single issue requiring further attention. China has been actively engaged in international cooperation, and has supported the Center for Chemistry and Technology in conducting the customs laboratory training courses for three years in a row. This year, China and the Technical Secretariat jointly held the first International Workshop on AI and Chemical safety and security in Shanghai, which was widely welcomed and appreciated by parties. China is willing to host this AI workshop again in 2026. We welcome the participation from all States Parties.

In October this year, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee adopted the recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan, which outlines a blueprint for China’s economic and social development over the next five years while offering more opportunities for international cooperation. China will continue to embark unswervingly on the path of peaceful development, promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and bring more positive energy and stability to the world. China will continually and firmly uphold the purposes and principles of the Convention, practise multilateralism in an in-depth manner, and contribute to the realization of the goal of a world free of chemical weapons, and to the maintenance of international peace and security.

Mr. Chairperson,

China highly commends the diligent work by Director-General Ambassador Fernando Arias. We congratulate Ambassador Sabrina Dallafior Matter on her upcoming appointment as the next Director-General, and are willing to actively support her work.

The Chinese delegation would like kindly to request that this statement be circulated as an official document of this session and published on the OPCW’s public website and Catalyst.

Thank you, Mr. Chairperson.