UN conference on disarmament hears statement by China on latest events

The UN Conference on Disarmament this afternoon heard here a statement by China on the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people's war of resistance.

The statement said that the solemn gathering in Beijing on Sept. 3 was in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression and the world anti-fascist war.

The statement cited Chinese President Xi Jinping as pointing out that the experience of war made people value peace all the more, and in the interest of peace, the world needed to foster a keen sense of a global community of shared future.

"Prejudice, discrimination, hatred and war could only cause disaster and suffering, while mutual respect, equality, peaceful development and common prosperity represented the right path to take," the China statement said.

The statement also informed the conference that in his speech, President Xi Jinping announced that China would cut its military personnel by 300,000 and this round of reduction of armed forces would be completed before the end of 2017.

"This would be the 11th time that China voluntarily and unilaterally reduced its armed forces since the founding of People's Republic, which fully demonstrated China's sincere desire to work closely with other nations for peace, common development and shared prosperity," the statement stressed.

The statement added that together with the international community, China would make unremitting efforts for the achievement of the grand vision of comprehensive and universal disarmament and lasting peace in the world. Endit