China’s New Defense Paper Causes Stir Over No-First-Use Nuke Policy

China’s New Defense Paper Causes Stir Over No-First-Use Nuke Policy

By Rachel Oswald
Global Security Newswire
WASHINGTON -- The omission of an explicit reference to China's “no-first-use” policy for nuclear weapons in a new defense white paper is causing something of a stir in the arms control community.

Beijing for decades has publicly maintained an “unequivocal commitment” that it would never be the first one to use nuclear weapons in a war. This pledge has been explicitly set out in every biannual white paper until now and China routinely calls on every nuclear-weapon state to adopt similar declaratory statements.
The newest Chinese Defense Ministry white paper at multiple points touches on the functions of the People’s Liberation Army’s Second Artillery Corps, which oversees the nation's strategic nuclear force. All mentions of nuclear weapon operations and uses are in line with a no-first-use policy and there is no mention of circumstances under which Chinese strategic arms could be used in a first strike.http://www.nti.org/gsn/article/chinas-new-defense-white-paper-causes-stir-over-questions-no-first-use-policy/