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China backs nuclear weapon-free zone in Southeast Asia in move to ‘contain Aukus’

  • President Xi Jinping told Asean leaders that Beijing is willing to sign protocol to the treaty ‘as early as possible’
  • It has indicated it will do so for more than two decades, and observers say the security alliance could speed up the process

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Chinese President Xi Jinping also pledged to upgrade relations with Asean during a virtual summit on Monday. Photo: Xinhua
China has voiced support for a nuclear weapon-free zone in Southeast Asia as it seeks to strengthen regional alliances, pushed by concerns over the new Aukus security pact, according to observers.
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While Beijing has yet to sign the protocol to the Asean treaty to keep nuclear weapons out of the region – despite indicating a willingness to do so for more than two decades – pressure from the new partnership between Australia, the UK and the US could speed up the process, they said.
President Xi Jinping told Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders on Monday that China backed efforts to build a nuclear weapon-free zone and was willing to sign the protocol to the treaty “as early as possible”.
He also pledged at the virtual summit to upgrade relations with Asean to focus more on security cooperation and development funding.

Signed by Asean members in 1995, the Treaty of Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) is a commitment to keep the region free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.

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Beijing indicated it was willing to sign the protocol to the treaty within years, but as yet, none of the five legal nuclear powers – China, the US, Russia, Britain and France – have signed up. Under the protocol, they would be obliged not to develop, manufacture or possess nuclear weapons, or to receive any assistance to do so.

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