China's nuclear policy highly stable, continuous, predictable: spokesperson

BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- China's nuclear policy is characterized by a high degree of stability, continuity, and predictability, said Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, at a press conference on Thursday.

He made the remarks in response to a media query regarding China's recent military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, where China unveiled its land-, sea-, and air-based strategic forces as the nuclear triad for the first time.

China has consistently adhered to a self-defensive nuclear strategy, strictly upholding its policy of no first use of nuclear weapons, and pledging not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones, the spokesperson said.

The country has always maintained its nuclear forces at the minimum level required for national security and does not participate in any form of arms race, according to Zhang.

"China's nuclear weapons are solely for defense and self-protection, safeguarding national strategic security, and upholding world peace and stability," Zhang said.