ISLAMABAD:

China says it supports Pakistan’s engagement with Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to attain membership and expressed hope that such efforts could be conducive to the authority and effectiveness of the international non-proliferation regime.

China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying in response to a query by Associated Press of Pakistan on how China views Pakistan’s aspirations for NSG membership said, “We wish to strengthen communication and coordination with Pakistan.”

She said China has noted Pakistan’s aspirations for NSG membership and added that Pakistan has taken steps towards its mainstreaming into the global non-proliferation regime.

Spokesperson Hua said the NSG is an important component of the international non-proliferation regime and is the long-standing consensus of the international community that the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) is the cornerstone of the regime.

She said the recently concluded Ninth NPT Review Conference has reaffirmed this consensus. On account of this, the NSG has so far regarded the status of the NPT state as a crucial standard to accept new member state.

Hua Chunying said besides Pakistan, there are other non NPT states who have expressed similar aspirations, which raises an issue to the international community that whether these 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,” she said.

The Nuclear Suppliers Group’s (NSG) plenary meeting is being held in Argentina.