Chinese Abstracts

Panel 3: East Asia Security and Nonproliferation-Challenges and Responses

The Grave Negative Impact of TMD on the East Asia Security

Niu Qiang

Joint development of TMD by the United States and Japan has negatively impacted the security environment in East Asia. In the foreseeable future, the joint development of TMD will impact the security environment in four ways. First, TMD undermines confidence building efforts and deepens strategic suspicions. Second, TMD provides the vehicle by which right-wing elements in Japan can remilitarize and lead Japan to become a major military power. Third, TMD will touch off a new arms race in the region. Fourth, there exists the possibility that US would transfer TMD to Taiwan. This would lead to serious setbacks in Sino-US relations and ultimately have a negative impact on East Asian security as a whole. The solution is to conduct peaceful dialogue, explore and establish a cooperative security mechanism on the basis of equality and consultation.

Niu Qiang is the Deputy Secretary General for the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament.

Return to the Chinese Abstracts.