NUCLEAR WEAPON TEST BY CHINA
Australia condemns the latest test of a nuclear weapon by China. Given the strength of world reaction against the French testing programme, it displays a particular insensitivity for China to have gone ahead with this test.
China alone continues to test nuclear weapons. Its action is contrary to the expectation of the international community, as underlined at last year's review conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ( NPT), to see concrete progress towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. It is particularly regrettable that China continues to test when the negotiations for a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty ( CTBT) are at a critical juncture.
I urge China to end immediately its nuclear weapons testing program and affirm on its unconditional support for a CTBT. These measures would be a significant boost to international efforts to curb the spread and use of weapons of mass destruction.
8 June 1996