Sir, - Reports from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding its present series of nuclear weapon tests make disturbing reading. While it states that China will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against nonnuclear weapon states, it makes no such promises towards the rest of the nuclear club. Vague calls for "a treaty on mutual non first use of nuclear weapons" are far from reassuring.
China intends to test another nuclear weapon before September 1996. This flies in the face of their statement of 17 June, 1996, which claims "The Chinese government and people will work unremittingly and do their utmost for the realisation of the lofty goal of a nuclear weapon free world".
If China is really serious about eliminating nuclear weapons then it should immediately end all nuclear tests and enter into genuine discussions in Geneva at the comprehensive test ban treaty talks.
Yours, etc.,
Campaign Against
Nuclear Testing,
Carmichael House,
Nth Brunswick Street,
Dublin 7.