ABSTRACT
China shares the prevalent view that there are two aspects to the issue of nuclear weapon proliferation: on the one hand, those countries which already possess nuclear weapons continue to enlarge and improve their nuclear stockpiles; on the other hand, there exist possibilities that other states will acquire nuclear weapons. The main defect of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons lies in the fact that it prohibits the non-nuclear weapon states parties from possessing nuclear weapons, but does scarcely anything to limit the quantity of nuclear weapons the nuclear weapon states parties possess, nor does it restrict the further expansion of their nuclear arsenals. The obligations imposed on the non-nuclear weapon states parties are specific and strict, whereas the obligation on the nuclear weapon states—to “pursue negotiations in good faith” to reach an agreement on cessation of the nuclear arms race and on nuclear disarmament—is devoid of any binding force and therefore of little meaning.
