China Backs Pak Membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group

China backs Pakistan’s ‘engagement’ with the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), but have not signed the NPT yet.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (L) shakes hands with China’s President Xi Jinping. (Photo: Reuters)

China today said it backed Pakistan’s ‘engagement’ with the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), but at the same time maintained that acceptance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was a standard to admit new member-states in the 48-nation grouping.

China has noted Pakistan’s aspirations for NSG membership. Pakistan has taken steps towards its mainstreaming into the global non-proliferation regime
– Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing.

We support Pakistan’s engagement with the NSG, and hope such efforts could be conducive to the authority and effectiveness of the international non-proliferation regime. We wish to strengthen communication and coordination with Pakistan. It is the long-standing consensus of the international community that the NPT is the cornerstone of the regime
– she said.

She was replying to question on how China views Pakistan’s aspirations for NSG membership at the NSG plenary meeting being held in Argentina.

“In fact, besides Pakistan, there are other non NPT states who have expressed similar aspirations,” she said in an apparent reference to India’s interest to become NSG member.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit last month asked China to back India’s membership to the NSG and the permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

This raises an issue to the international community, that is, whether non-NPT states are in the position to join the NSG. China believes that this issue deserves thorough discussion among NSG member states in accordance with relevant rules, thus to make a decision by consensus.
– Chunying said.

India and Pakistan have not signed the NPT.