China has always adhered to the policy of no first use of nuclear weapons, the official stated.
"China is firmly committed to the international nuclear nonproliferation system and condemns the prevalence of geopolitical interests over the issue of nuclear nonproliferation," Wang told a briefing, adding that possessing a nuclear arsenal has never been a tool for hegemony but a means of deterring nuclear war.
The signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) failed to reach a consensus on a framework for future negotiations during a meeting of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) in Vienna held from July 31 to August 11. A procedural report was the only document signed at the end of the meeting.
The next NPT Review Conference is expected to be held in New York in 2026. This conference is the centerpiece of the global nonproliferation agenda. Three PrepCom meetings were scheduled to take place prior to the conference. One has already taken place in Vienna, and two more are expected to take place in Geneva in 2024 and in New York in 2025.