Mr. President，
The Weaponization of Outer Space and Its Negative Consequences
The peaceful use of outer space is in the interest of all peoples of the world. The undertakings in such areas as communication， navigation， meteorology， remote sensing， culture， and disaster reduction have come to be intricately linked with the peaceful use of outer space.
However， as nuclear energy per se can be both used as a clean and efficient energy and nuclear weapon， outer space can also benefit all while at the same time harbor fresh military confrontations and threats.
With the rapid development of outer space technology， out space， the once-deemed “high frontier”， has been attached with increasing military value. Such combat theories and concepts as “control of outer space， power projection into and through outer space” as well as the R&D of outer space weapons have found their ways into implementation. It is no exaggeration to say that outer space would become the fourth battlefield after land， sea and air should we sit on our hands watching the above developments.
The deployment of weapons in outer space would result in a series of grave fallouts： breaking strategic balance and stability， undermining international and national security， damaging existing arms control treaties， particularly agreements related to nuclear weapons and missiles， and triggering an arms race. In addition， the deployment and use of weapons in outer space would seriously threaten the security of outer space assets and bring harm to the Earth's biosphere. The testing of outer space weapons in the low Earth orbits would aggravate the already acute problem of “space debris”。
The Lacunae of Existing International Legal Regime related to Outer Space
Facing the risk of the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space， existing international legal regime related to outer space displayed its lacunae， i.e.， it falls short in preventing and prohibiting the deployment and use of weapons other than those of mass destruction in outer space； and in preventing and prohibiting the use or threat of force from the Earth's surface against outer space objects.
Efforts by the International Community
Over years， the international community has endeavoured on many fronts in preventing the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space. The Conference on Disarmament （CD） at Geneva had set up the ad hoc committee for ten consecutive years from 1985 to 1994 discussing relevant issues. The UN General Assembly has， for many years without interruption， overwhelmingly adopted （with no negative votes） the resolution of “Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space”。 The UN Secretary General and many people of insight had repeated their calls for attaching importance to this issue. Canada， Sri Lanka， France， Sweden， Italy and many others have also come up with their own constructive proposals.
In 2002， China and Russia， along with Vietnam， Indonesia， Belarus， Zimbabwe and Syria Arab Republic， tabled in the CD a working paper entitled “POSSIBLE ELEMENTS FOR A FUTURE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL AGREEMENT ON THE PREVENTION OF THE DEPLOYMENT OF WEAPONS IN OUTER SPACE， THE THREAT OR USE OF FORCE AGAINST OUTER SPACE OBJECTS” （contained in CD/1679）。 It is our hope that the CD can take this document as a basis for negotiating and concluding a new outer space legal instrument. This document contains the following basic obligations：
- Not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying any kinds of weapons， not to install such weapons on celestial bodies， or not to station such weapons in outer space in any other manner.
- Not to resort to the threat or use of force against outer space objects.
- Not to assist or encourage other States， groups of States， international organizations to participate in activities prohibited by this Treaty.
CD/1679 is still evolving and improving. All relevant sides have put up their pertinent suggestions and proposals for the document. In this regard， after in-depth study， the Delegations of China and the Russian Federation distributed in the CD two non-papers entitled “Existing International Legal Instruments and the Prevention of the Weaponization of Outer Space” and “Verification Aspects of PAROS”。 All are welcomed in joining the discussion on above issues so as to put the future substantive work of the outer space ad hoc committee on a better footing.
It is the hope of the Chinese Delegation that the CD could take up as soon as possible， as the UN General Assembly relevant resolution stipulates， “the primary role in the negotiation of a multilateral agreement or agreements， as appropriate， on the prevention of an arms race in outer space in its all aspects.”
Peace， development and cooperation represent the trend of the times. An early conclusion of an international legal instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space is conducive to maintaining peaceful use of outer space， facilitating related international cooperation and promoting common security for all. Let's make concerted efforts in preserving the vastness of outer space a tranquil place for the benefit of our future generations.
Thank you， Mr. President.
主席先生：
和平利用外空符合世界各國(guó)人民的根本利益。通訊、導(dǎo)航、氣象、遙感、文化、減災(zāi)等各項(xiàng)事業(yè)，都離不開(kāi)對(duì)外空的和平利用。
然而，如同核能既可作為清潔和有效的能源，又可被用于制造核武器一樣，外空既可造福于各國(guó)，也可能成為軍事對(duì)抗的新領(lǐng)域以及新威脅的根源。
隨著外空技術(shù)的迅猛發(fā)展，曾被視為“高邊疆”的外空被日益賦予重要的軍事價(jià)值?！翱刂仆饪铡⑼饪樟α客端汀?等相關(guān)作戰(zhàn)理論和構(gòu)想、外空武器的研發(fā)正在實(shí)施。倘若我們對(duì)此聽(tīng)之任之，毫不夸張地說(shuō)，外空將成為繼陸、海、空之后的第四個(gè)戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)。
在外空部署武器將產(chǎn)生一系列嚴(yán)重的消極后果：打破戰(zhàn)略平衡與穩(wěn)定、破壞國(guó)際和國(guó)家安全、損害現(xiàn)有軍控條約特別是與核武器和導(dǎo)彈相關(guān)的協(xié)定、引發(fā)軍備競(jìng)賽。此外，部署和使用外空武器，將嚴(yán)重威脅外空資產(chǎn)的安全，對(duì)地球生物圈也會(huì)造成危害。在近地軌道試驗(yàn)外空武器，將加劇業(yè)已嚴(yán)重的“空間碎片”問(wèn)題。
面對(duì)外空武器化和外空軍備競(jìng)賽的危險(xiǎn)，現(xiàn)有外空國(guó)際法律機(jī)制暴露了其局限性，即，不能防止和禁止在外空部署和使用除大規(guī)模殺傷性武器以外的武器； 不能防止和禁止從地球表面對(duì)處于外空的物體使用武力或威脅使用武力。
多年來(lái)，國(guó)際社會(huì)為防止外空武器化和防止外空軍備競(jìng)賽進(jìn)行了有益嘗試。裁談會(huì)曾自1985至1994年連續(xù)十年設(shè)立特委會(huì)討論有關(guān)問(wèn)題。聯(lián)大多年來(lái)連續(xù)以壓倒性多數(shù)票（無(wú)人反對(duì)）通過(guò)“防止外空軍備競(jìng)賽”決議案。聯(lián)合國(guó)秘書(shū)長(zhǎng)和許多國(guó)際有識(shí)之士多次呼吁重視此問(wèn)題。加拿大、斯里蘭卡、法國(guó)、瑞典、意大利等許多國(guó)家也提出了建設(shè)性主張。
2002年，中國(guó)、俄羅斯聯(lián)合越南、印度尼西亞、白俄羅斯、津巴布韋和敘利亞的駐日內(nèi)瓦代表團(tuán)，在裁談會(huì)提出了題為《關(guān)于未來(lái)防止在外空部署武器、對(duì)外空物體使用或威脅使用武力國(guó)際法律文書(shū)要點(diǎn)》的工作文件（載于CD/1679），希望裁談會(huì)以此為基礎(chǔ)，談判達(dá)成一項(xiàng)新的外空法律文書(shū)。該文件包括以下基本義務(wù)：
不在環(huán)繞地球的軌道放置任何攜帶任何種類(lèi)武器的物體，不在天體放置此類(lèi)武器，不以任何方式在外空部署此類(lèi)武器；不對(duì)外空物體使用或威脅使用武力；不協(xié)助、不鼓勵(lì)其他國(guó)家、國(guó)家集團(tuán)和國(guó)際組織參與本條約所禁止的活動(dòng)。
CD/1679仍處于不斷發(fā)展和完善的過(guò)程中。有關(guān)各方已就該文件提出了中肯的意見(jiàn)和建議。鑒此，中俄代表團(tuán)在深入研究的基礎(chǔ)上，于今年8月在裁談會(huì)散發(fā)了“現(xiàn)有國(guó)際法律文書(shū)與防止外空武器化”和“防止外空軍備競(jìng)賽的核查問(wèn)題”兩份專(zhuān)題文件。我們歡迎各方參加到上述問(wèn)題的討論中來(lái)，為將來(lái)外空特委會(huì)的實(shí)質(zhì)性工作打下基礎(chǔ)。
中國(guó)代表團(tuán)希望，裁談會(huì)能盡快按照聯(lián)大決議所規(guī)定的那樣，“在酌情締結(jié)一項(xiàng)或多項(xiàng)防止外層空間軍備競(jìng)賽各方面問(wèn)題的多邊協(xié)定的談判中發(fā)揮主要作用”。
和平、發(fā)展、合作是時(shí)代潮流。早日達(dá)成一項(xiàng)防止外空武器化的國(guó)際法律文書(shū)，有利于維護(hù)對(duì)外空的和平利用，促進(jìn)相關(guān)的國(guó)際合作，并增進(jìn)各國(guó)的共同安全。讓我們共同努力，為子孫后代保留這片凈土，確保廣袤無(wú)垠的外層空間永遠(yuǎn)造福于全人類(lèi)。
謝謝主席先生。
The Weaponization of Outer Space and Its Negative Consequences
The peaceful use of outer space is in the interest of all peoples of the world. The undertakings in such areas as communication， navigation， meteorology， remote sensing， culture， and disaster reduction have come to be intricately linked with the peaceful use of outer space.
However， as nuclear energy per se can be both used as a clean and efficient energy and nuclear weapon， outer space can also benefit all while at the same time harbor fresh military confrontations and threats.
With the rapid development of outer space technology， out space， the once-deemed “high frontier”， has been attached with increasing military value. Such combat theories and concepts as “control of outer space， power projection into and through outer space” as well as the R&D of outer space weapons have found their ways into implementation. It is no exaggeration to say that outer space would become the fourth battlefield after land， sea and air should we sit on our hands watching the above developments.
The deployment of weapons in outer space would result in a series of grave fallouts： breaking strategic balance and stability， undermining international and national security， damaging existing arms control treaties， particularly agreements related to nuclear weapons and missiles， and triggering an arms race. In addition， the deployment and use of weapons in outer space would seriously threaten the security of outer space assets and bring harm to the Earth's biosphere. The testing of outer space weapons in the low Earth orbits would aggravate the already acute problem of “space debris”。
The Lacunae of Existing International Legal Regime related to Outer Space
Facing the risk of the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space， existing international legal regime related to outer space displayed its lacunae， i.e.， it falls short in preventing and prohibiting the deployment and use of weapons other than those of mass destruction in outer space； and in preventing and prohibiting the use or threat of force from the Earth's surface against outer space objects.
Efforts by the International Community
Over years， the international community has endeavoured on many fronts in preventing the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space. The Conference on Disarmament （CD） at Geneva had set up the ad hoc committee for ten consecutive years from 1985 to 1994 discussing relevant issues. The UN General Assembly has， for many years without interruption， overwhelmingly adopted （with no negative votes） the resolution of “Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space”。 The UN Secretary General and many people of insight had repeated their calls for attaching importance to this issue. Canada， Sri Lanka， France， Sweden， Italy and many others have also come up with their own constructive proposals.
In 2002， China and Russia， along with Vietnam， Indonesia， Belarus， Zimbabwe and Syria Arab Republic， tabled in the CD a working paper entitled “POSSIBLE ELEMENTS FOR A FUTURE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL AGREEMENT ON THE PREVENTION OF THE DEPLOYMENT OF WEAPONS IN OUTER SPACE， THE THREAT OR USE OF FORCE AGAINST OUTER SPACE OBJECTS” （contained in CD/1679）。 It is our hope that the CD can take this document as a basis for negotiating and concluding a new outer space legal instrument. This document contains the following basic obligations：
- Not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying any kinds of weapons， not to install such weapons on celestial bodies， or not to station such weapons in outer space in any other manner.
- Not to resort to the threat or use of force against outer space objects.
- Not to assist or encourage other States， groups of States， international organizations to participate in activities prohibited by this Treaty.
CD/1679 is still evolving and improving. All relevant sides have put up their pertinent suggestions and proposals for the document. In this regard， after in-depth study， the Delegations of China and the Russian Federation distributed in the CD two non-papers entitled “Existing International Legal Instruments and the Prevention of the Weaponization of Outer Space” and “Verification Aspects of PAROS”。 All are welcomed in joining the discussion on above issues so as to put the future substantive work of the outer space ad hoc committee on a better footing.
It is the hope of the Chinese Delegation that the CD could take up as soon as possible， as the UN General Assembly relevant resolution stipulates， “the primary role in the negotiation of a multilateral agreement or agreements， as appropriate， on the prevention of an arms race in outer space in its all aspects.”
Peace， development and cooperation represent the trend of the times. An early conclusion of an international legal instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space is conducive to maintaining peaceful use of outer space， facilitating related international cooperation and promoting common security for all. Let's make concerted efforts in preserving the vastness of outer space a tranquil place for the benefit of our future generations.
Thank you， Mr. President.
主席先生：
和平利用外空符合世界各國(guó)人民的根本利益。通訊、導(dǎo)航、氣象、遙感、文化、減災(zāi)等各項(xiàng)事業(yè)，都離不開(kāi)對(duì)外空的和平利用。
然而，如同核能既可作為清潔和有效的能源，又可被用于制造核武器一樣，外空既可造福于各國(guó)，也可能成為軍事對(duì)抗的新領(lǐng)域以及新威脅的根源。
隨著外空技術(shù)的迅猛發(fā)展，曾被視為“高邊疆”的外空被日益賦予重要的軍事價(jià)值?！翱刂仆饪铡⑼饪樟α客端汀?等相關(guān)作戰(zhàn)理論和構(gòu)想、外空武器的研發(fā)正在實(shí)施。倘若我們對(duì)此聽(tīng)之任之，毫不夸張地說(shuō)，外空將成為繼陸、海、空之后的第四個(gè)戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)。
在外空部署武器將產(chǎn)生一系列嚴(yán)重的消極后果：打破戰(zhàn)略平衡與穩(wěn)定、破壞國(guó)際和國(guó)家安全、損害現(xiàn)有軍控條約特別是與核武器和導(dǎo)彈相關(guān)的協(xié)定、引發(fā)軍備競(jìng)賽。此外，部署和使用外空武器，將嚴(yán)重威脅外空資產(chǎn)的安全，對(duì)地球生物圈也會(huì)造成危害。在近地軌道試驗(yàn)外空武器，將加劇業(yè)已嚴(yán)重的“空間碎片”問(wèn)題。
面對(duì)外空武器化和外空軍備競(jìng)賽的危險(xiǎn)，現(xiàn)有外空國(guó)際法律機(jī)制暴露了其局限性，即，不能防止和禁止在外空部署和使用除大規(guī)模殺傷性武器以外的武器； 不能防止和禁止從地球表面對(duì)處于外空的物體使用武力或威脅使用武力。
多年來(lái)，國(guó)際社會(huì)為防止外空武器化和防止外空軍備競(jìng)賽進(jìn)行了有益嘗試。裁談會(huì)曾自1985至1994年連續(xù)十年設(shè)立特委會(huì)討論有關(guān)問(wèn)題。聯(lián)大多年來(lái)連續(xù)以壓倒性多數(shù)票（無(wú)人反對(duì)）通過(guò)“防止外空軍備競(jìng)賽”決議案。聯(lián)合國(guó)秘書(shū)長(zhǎng)和許多國(guó)際有識(shí)之士多次呼吁重視此問(wèn)題。加拿大、斯里蘭卡、法國(guó)、瑞典、意大利等許多國(guó)家也提出了建設(shè)性主張。
2002年，中國(guó)、俄羅斯聯(lián)合越南、印度尼西亞、白俄羅斯、津巴布韋和敘利亞的駐日內(nèi)瓦代表團(tuán)，在裁談會(huì)提出了題為《關(guān)于未來(lái)防止在外空部署武器、對(duì)外空物體使用或威脅使用武力國(guó)際法律文書(shū)要點(diǎn)》的工作文件（載于CD/1679），希望裁談會(huì)以此為基礎(chǔ)，談判達(dá)成一項(xiàng)新的外空法律文書(shū)。該文件包括以下基本義務(wù)：
不在環(huán)繞地球的軌道放置任何攜帶任何種類(lèi)武器的物體，不在天體放置此類(lèi)武器，不以任何方式在外空部署此類(lèi)武器；不對(duì)外空物體使用或威脅使用武力；不協(xié)助、不鼓勵(lì)其他國(guó)家、國(guó)家集團(tuán)和國(guó)際組織參與本條約所禁止的活動(dòng)。
CD/1679仍處于不斷發(fā)展和完善的過(guò)程中。有關(guān)各方已就該文件提出了中肯的意見(jiàn)和建議。鑒此，中俄代表團(tuán)在深入研究的基礎(chǔ)上，于今年8月在裁談會(huì)散發(fā)了“現(xiàn)有國(guó)際法律文書(shū)與防止外空武器化”和“防止外空軍備競(jìng)賽的核查問(wèn)題”兩份專(zhuān)題文件。我們歡迎各方參加到上述問(wèn)題的討論中來(lái)，為將來(lái)外空特委會(huì)的實(shí)質(zhì)性工作打下基礎(chǔ)。
中國(guó)代表團(tuán)希望，裁談會(huì)能盡快按照聯(lián)大決議所規(guī)定的那樣，“在酌情締結(jié)一項(xiàng)或多項(xiàng)防止外層空間軍備競(jìng)賽各方面問(wèn)題的多邊協(xié)定的談判中發(fā)揮主要作用”。
和平、發(fā)展、合作是時(shí)代潮流。早日達(dá)成一項(xiàng)防止外空武器化的國(guó)際法律文書(shū)，有利于維護(hù)對(duì)外空的和平利用，促進(jìn)相關(guān)的國(guó)際合作，并增進(jìn)各國(guó)的共同安全。讓我們共同努力，為子孫后代保留這片凈土，確保廣袤無(wú)垠的外層空間永遠(yuǎn)造福于全人類(lèi)。
謝謝主席先生。