TOKYO: Premier Chou En-lai of People’s China has sent a letter to Japanese Premier Hayato Ikeda outlining Chinese proposals for a world summit conference for general nuclear disarmament, it was learned here today [Oct 19]. In the letter dated Oct 17, Mr Chou En-lai said that although People’s China had joined the nuclear weapons agreement race, the Peking government will never take the initiative in using nuclear weapons. “Only in legitimate self-defence will People’s China use the weapons of mass destruction.”

“People’s China,” the Premier went on, “has always been devoted to a policy of general nuclear disarmament and scrapping of stockpiled nuclear weapons”.

Only under the threat of the United States has People’s China decided to develop these awful weapons, he said.

“Pursuant to the Chinese policy of General nuc­lear disarmament, the Peking Government proposes that leaders of nuclear armed powers and those of nations about to be holders of nuclear weapons should first conclude an agreement guaranteeing non-use of nuclear weapons and then they should agree with non-nuclear Powers to prevent further nuclear armament.”

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2014