The 110th Session of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was held in The Hague, the Netherlands, from October 7 to 10. Mr. TAN Jian, Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the OPCW, led the Chinese delegation to the session. The delegation included officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Permanent Mission of China to the OPCW.
During the general debate, Ambassador TAN shared the key concepts of the Global Governance Initiative and put forward five propositions in connection with the work of the OPCW. First, stay committed to sovereign equality and enhancing the representation of the Global South in the OPCW. Second, stay committed to international rule of law, firmly safeguard the authority of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and advocate for investigations into alleged use of chemical weapons strictly in line with the CWC. Third, stay committed to multilateralism, jointly preserve the principle of consensus, and resolve CW-related issues through dialogue and consultation. Fourth, stay committed to the people-centered approach. Ambassador TAN urged Japan to rectify its attitude toward history, earnestly shoulder its historical responsibilities, faithfully fulfill its obligations under the CWC, and achieve the complete and thorough destruction of Japanese Abandoned Chemical Weapons on the territory of China at the earliest date, thereby restoring a clean and safe environment to the Chinese people. Fifth, stay committed to real results and strengthen international cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence and the peaceful uses of chemical technology, and ensure that all States Parties jointly share in the benefits of emerging technologies and advancements in the chemical field.
Ambassador TAN emphasized that China, as the second-largest contributor to the OPCW, provides essential and stable financial support for the organization’s efficient functioning. As the country with largest chemical industry, China has consistently implemented its obligations in high-quality and exemplar manner, and has constructively participated in the reform of the verification mechanism. China will continue to work with all parties to practice multilateralism, uphold the authority of the Convention, and jointly strive for a world free of chemical weapons.
