A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime and eliminating the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation. 

Speaking at a UN meeting, Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, told the Security Council that the proliferation of nuclear weapons has complicated root causes and needs to be addressed in a comprehensive way. 

He urged nuclear-weapon states to exercise restraint on strategic capacity building and deployment, and nuclear disarmament should follow the principle of maintaining global strategic stability and undiminished security of all countries. 

"The countries with the largest nuclear arsenals should extend their bilateral nuclear disarmament treaties and make further drastic and substantive cuts of the nuclear weapons so as to create conditions for more nuclear-weapon states to join the nuclear disarmament process," he added. 

He said that the authority and universality of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime should be strengthened and double standards and selectivity should be abandoned. 

The Chinese envoy also called for full development of the potential to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and related international cooperation. 

The peaceful use of nuclear energy is an inalienable right granted by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to states parties, he said, adding that preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons should not undermine the legitimate rights of all countries, especially developing countries. 

Noting that China is committed to the path of peaceful development and pursues an independent foreign policy of peace and a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, Wu said China will continue to actively practice multilateralism, firmly uphold the international arms control and non-proliferation regime and contribute to the lofty cause of peace and security for mankind. 

China urges intl. community to safeguard existing multilateral arms control mechanisms

Noting this year marks both the 50th anniversary of the treaty's entry into force and the 25th anniversary of its indefinite extension, Wu said members of the Security Council need to recall the historical role played by the NPT and to look forward to its contemporary significance in promoting international peace, security and development. 

At present, challenges in the field of international security are on the rise and competition among major powers is intensifying, which has a serious impact on global strategic stability, said the Chinese envoy. 

He added that contradictions in nuclear disarmament have intensified, unilateralism has prevailed in the field of non-proliferation, and politicization of peaceful uses of nuclear energy has become prominent.

"We should abide by multilateralism and safeguard the international order based on international law," he said, adding that the international community should work together to set rules and regulations in new areas, such as outer space, cyberspace, and artificial intelligence, to meet the new challenges to strategic security.