Q: On December 8, China and the EU signed the Joint Declaration on Non-proliferation and Arms Control. Could you brief on its significance?

A: During the 7th Sino-EU Summit, Foreign minister Li Zhaoxing and Javier Solana, Secretary General of the EU Council and High Representative of EU for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, respectively on behalf of the Chinese Government and the EU, signed the China-EU Joint Declaration on Non-proliferation and Arms Control on December 8. The Declaration confirmed that China and EU are major strategic partners for each other in the fields of disarmament and non-proliferation, and defined the priorities in our cooperation. It is conducive to elevating our cooperation in the fields of disarmament and non-proliferation to higher level, as well as expanding and deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and EU.

China and the EU share broad common interests and wide consensus on non-proliferation and arms control. Both sides are committed to maintaining international security, opposing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and upholding and strengthening the international system of non-proliferation and arms control. As two important forces in safeguarding international peace and security, China and EU's more in-depth cooperation on non-proliferation and arms control is important and positive to the advancement of the cause of international non-proliferation and arms control, as well as safeguarding the world's peace and stability.