Xi calls for closer global nuclear security co-op in new circumstances

WASHINGTON - Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that his country stands ready to strengthen international cooperation on nuclear security under the current new circumstances. Xi, who is in Washington for the fourth Nuclear Security Summit (NSS), made the remarks at a dinner hosted by US President Barack Obama at the White House and themed "Nuclear Security Threat Perceptions."

Speaking first after Obama's welcome speech, Xi pointed out that in order to strengthen the global nuclear security architecture, the international community should first grasp the two new characteristics of the current situation.

The first is that terrorist activities around the world have entered a new active phase in which nuclear terrorism has become too serious to be ignored and the risk of nuclear material proliferation is on the rise, he said.

The second feature, he added, is that thanks to the six-year-old NSS process, the global line of defense for nuclear security has grown solider with broader international consensus, stronger sense of responsibility on the part of national governments, more effective laws and mechanisms, deeper cooperation in capacity-building and law enforcement, and wider awareness of the nuclear security culture.

These efforts have helped boost the peaceful use of nuclear energy and contributed to safeguarding international peace and security, commented the Chinese leader.

Noting that it is a global consensus to strengthen international cooperation and fight terrorism in all its forms, he said, "while the challenges to nuclear security are big, our resolve is even bigger. While the battle against nuclear terrorism faces many difficulties, we have more ways to deal with them."

He stressed that in maintaining nuclear security there is neither any end nor any shortcut, and that his country looks forward to conferring with other parties on how to firm up the global nuclear security regime and further consolidate the line of defense.

In his welcome speech, Obama spoke highly of the achievements that have been made within the NSS framework, which was initiated by Obama and headlined by biennial summits since 2010.

He emphasized that with the nuclear security realm beset with new threats, the world needs to step up cooperation and make continued efforts to better secure nuclear materials and jointly guarantee nuclear security.

The dinner was held for the heads of the delegations from 52 countries and four international organizations to the 2016 NSS, whose main activities will take place Friday.