Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – The 30th Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter referred to as the Convention) reviewed the implementation of the chemical weapons destruction decision in The Hague, Netherlands, on the 26th. The Chinese delegation once again solemnly urged Japan to fully fulfill its obligations under the Convention, earnestly shoulder its historical responsibility, accelerate the process of dealing with abandoned chemical weapons in China, and restore a clean environment for the Chinese people as soon as possible, creating a "chemical weapons-free world" for the world.
When the Japanese representative presented the progress and investment in the destruction of abandoned chemical weapons to the Conference that day, he unilaterally emphasized the progress and investment, while avoiding any discussion of the underlying issues. Wang Daxue, head of the Chinese delegation and Deputy Director-General of the Arms Control Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, refuted this on the spot.
Wang Daxue pointed out that abandoned chemical weapons were one of the serious crimes committed by Japanese militarism during the war of aggression against China, causing irreparable and enormous harm to the Chinese people, and continuing to seriously threaten the lives, property, and ecological environment of the Chinese people to this day. According to the Convention, Japan should have completed the destruction of its abandoned chemical weapons by the end of 2007, but the destruction plan has been overdue four times. The problem lies in Japan's insufficient attention and investment, and its failure to proactively provide any valuable clues regarding the buried chemical weapons. The historical crimes of Japanese militarism during its invasion of China cannot be denied. The real threat posed by abandoned Japanese chemical weapons cannot be evaded. Japan's international obligations under the Convention cannot be shirked.
Wang Daxue stated that Japan should correct its historical attitude, shoulder its historical responsibility, fulfill its obligations under the Convention, substantially increase its investment, accelerate the process of excavation, recovery, and destruction, actively provide information on buried clues, and eliminate the toxic effects of abandoned Japanese chemical weapons as soon as possible. The OPCW should strengthen its monitoring and verification efforts to remove the biggest real obstacle to achieving a "chemical weapons-free world."
Wang Daxue comprehensively elaborated on China's position on the issue of abandoned Japanese chemical weapons during the general debate of the conference on the 25th. Many participating countries called on Japan to accelerate the process of dealing with abandoned chemical weapons in China.
Miriam Brack Sow, Uganda's Permanent Representative to the OPCW, speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement plus China, said that the overall progress of the destruction of abandoned Japanese chemical weapons in China is lower than expected. We urge Japan to make every effort to fully, completely, and accurately implement its post-2022 plan for the destruction of abandoned chemical weapons, and to accelerate the process of disposing of these weapons. We expect the OPCW to continue urging Japan to fulfill its obligations and ensure the effective implementation of relevant regulations.
Kirier Rysorgsky, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia, stated that the destruction of abandoned chemical weapons has become one of the core tasks of the OPCW, and called on Japan to completely destroy its abandoned chemical weapons in China as soon as possible.
Representatives from more than 10 countries, including South Africa, Pakistan, Tunisia, Indonesia, and Lebanon, supported the above statement and hoped that Japan's abandoned chemical weapons would be destroyed on schedule within the framework of the destruction plan.
OPCW Director-General Arias stated at the opening ceremony of the Conference of the Parties on the 24th that Japan's complete destruction of its abandoned chemical weapons in China is crucial to achieving the goal of a "chemical weapons-free world." Only when all abandoned Japanese chemical weapons are destroyed will a "chemical weapons-free world" arrive.
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (hereinafter referred to as the Chemical Weapons Convention) officially entered into force on April 29, 1997. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, and currently has 193 member states.
