BEIJING, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday said the so-called joint statement by the United States and relevant countries at the Conference on Disarmament was driven solely by political motives, adding that China urges relevant countries to stop abusing multilateral arms control mechanisms.
According to media reports, at the Conference on Disarmament on Aug. 11, the United States and relevant countries made a joint statement, alleging that recent missile testing activity in the Pacific area did not follow the "standard practices" to provide advance notice, which increases the risk of miscalculation and undermines stability in the region, and that relevant countries should implement the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation. It is believed that the joint statement is directed at China's test fire of a submarine-launched ballistic missile in July.
When asked for comments, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the so-called joint statement by the United States and relevant countries at the Conference on Disarmament, which brandished the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation and alluded to China's missile test launch, was driven solely by political motives and fully reveals their hypocrisy and double standards.
China urges relevant countries to stop abusing multilateral arms control mechanisms, replace irrational confrontation with sincere dialogue and create conditions necessary for enhancing dialogue and exchanges in the area of arms control, Guo added. ■
