China: Accession to Biological Weapons Convention

Ceased to apply to Hong Kong wef 1 July 1997. Applies to Hong Kong (SAR) wef 1 July 1997.

Statement:

"1.  The basic spirit of the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons conforms to China's consistent position and is conducive to the efforts of the world's peace-loving countries and peoples in fighting against aggression and maintaining world peace. China once was one of the victims of biological (bacteriological) weapons.  China has not produced or possessed such weapons and will never do so in future.  However, the Chinese Government considers that the Convention has its defects. For instance, it fails to provide in explicit terms for the "prohibition of the use of" biological weapons and the concrete and effective measures for supervision and verification;  it  lacks forceful measures of sanctions in the procedure of complaint against instances of violation of the Convention.  It is the hope of the Chinese Government that these defects maybe made up or corrected at an appropriate time.

2.  It is also the hope of the Chinese Government that a convention on complete prohibition and thorough destruction of chemical weapons will soon be concluded.

3.  The signature and ratification of the Convention by the Taiwan authorities in the name of China on 10 April 1972 and 9 February 1973 are illegal and null and void."