Original title: China read out the joint statement of the Chinese and Russian foreign ministers on strengthening the biological weapons convention, requesting the United States to clarify its biological militarization activities
The first committee of the 76th United Nations General Assembly, the disarmament and international security committee, continued to hold a general debate on the 7th. Geng Shuang, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, made a joint statement on behalf of China and Russia and read out the joint statement on strengthening the biological weapons convention issued by the foreign ministers of China and Russia on the same day.
In the statement, China and Russia reaffirmed that the biological weapons convention is a vital pillar of international peace and security and should be fully observed and further strengthened. China and Russia have noted with concern that in the past 20 years, the States parties to the Convention have not been able to restart multilateral negotiations on the verification protocol due to the unilateral withdrawal of the United States in 2001 in disregard of the consensus of all parties. The biological militarization activities carried out by the United States and its allies abroad have aroused serious concerns and doubts about its compliance by the international community, posed serious risks to the national security of China and Russia and damaged the security of relevant regions. The United States and its allies should clarify their biological militarization activities at home and abroad in an open, transparent and responsible manner.