Research on the People's Republic of China's Arms Control and Disarmament History

Research on the People's Republic of China’s Arms Control and Disarmament History

Key Annual Project of the Chinese National Social Sciences Fund (2011)

Chairperson: Teng Jianqun

Duration: June 2011 to June 2013

Brief introduction:

The history of P. R. China’s arms control and disarmament for more than 60 years reflects the country’s cooperation and struggle with other countries in the international arena in microcosm. It illustrates the evolution of China’s internal politics and diplomacy. Before the adoption of reform and opening-up policy, in face of blockade, China put forward those policies and proposals that can still be used today. Since the beginning of the reform and opening-up, China has actively participated in the international arms control and disarmament process. Arms control diplomacy has become an important instrument for safeguarding China’s security interests and promoting international arms control and disarmament process. For years, China has played an important role in such issues as Korean Peninsula nuclear crisis and Iranian nuclear issue. From resistance and even criticism in the past to full participation in international arms control and disarmament process at present, this transformation is a great achievement of mind emancipation since China's reform and opening up to the outside world. It reveals China’s confident mental outlook. Currently, those decision-makers and practitioners involved in China’s arms control and disarmament in 1970s and 1980s have entered their remaining years. Therefore, it is an urgent task to collect and sort out historical documents and materials so that we can recover historical facts regarding China’s arms control and disarmament and show them to the readers. By so doing, we can ensure a correct understanding by the international society and scholars of the facts related to China’s arms control and disarmament policy, which is of both historic and practical significance.