China hopes the four other nuclear-weapon states (NWS) – France, Russia, Britain and the United States – will follow its example and commit to no first use of nuclear weapons, a Chinese arms control official said on Tuesday.

Fu Cong, director-general of the Department of Arms Control of the Foreign Ministry, made the remarks during a press briefing after the leaders of the five countries, also known as the P5, on Monday issued a joint statement on preventing nuclear war and avoiding arms races.

Fu said this was the first time the P5 leaders had issued a joint statement on nuclear weapons. The statement affirms that "a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought" and that nuclear weapons should serve defensive purposes, deter aggression and prevent war, Fu said, while elaborating on the major points of the statement.

The statement reiterates that none of the signatories' nuclear weapons are targeted at each other or at any other state, and stresses the importance of preserving and complying with bilateral and multilateral arms control agreements and commitments, Fu said, adding that it also emphasizes the need to avoid military confrontations and prevent arms races.

After the press conference, Fu told CGTN that "this is a document of historical significance. Leaders of the P5 have decided to issue the joint statement, demonstrating their collective will to maintain world peace and reduce the risk of a nuclear war."

"I think this is important by itself, and also especially with the current background of high tension in Europe. And people need to realize this."

Fu also highlighted China's positive role in revitalizing the process and in pushing for the conclusion of the document. "China was the first country that advocated among the P5 that we could reaffirm this important principle that a nuclear war can't be won and should never be fought. This document is the result of two to three years of hard work," he said. 

China will use the document as the basis for further dialogue with the P5 to promote arms control and non-proliferation in general, Fu continued, adding that the statement sends an important message of commitment to reduce nuclear risks and maintain global strategic stability.

(CGTN's Su Yuting also contributed to this story.)