Distinguished ambassadors, experts and colleagues,

Thank you for joining us at this workshop. A year ago, the Chinses Mission held the first workshop on AUKUS at the VIC, which played an useful role in facilitating the intergovernmental discussion process within the framework of the IAEA. Building on that, and taking into consideration of the discussions among member states over the past year, today's workshop is to provide again an open and inclusive platform for the continued and in-depth discussions on issues regarding AUKUS, focusing on a case study about the development of IAEA comprehensive safeguards regime.

I thank all the panelists and commentators who join us today. Look forwards to your contributions to our workshop. I would like to welcome all the ambassadors, experts and colleagues attending today. I want to extend a special welcome to H.E. Amb. Biggs of Australia for joining us and sharing his views. I also welcome Mr. Suseanu from the IAEA Secretariat. I always believe that Secretariat should engage more and listen carefully to the views, concerns and propositions of wider range of member states on AUKUS, and to maintain communication and discussion with us.

Over the past two years, AUKUS has been an important and sensitive issue of wide concern to the international community. As we all know, the AUKUS cooperation is for the first time that two nuclear-weapon States, based on geopolitical purposes, have carried out nuclear submarine cooperation with a non-nuclear-weapon military ally and involves the transfer of nuclear power reactors and a large amount of weapons-grade HEU. This cooperation is clearly not a routine and peaceful safeguards project between IAEA non-nuclear-weapon member States and the Secretariat. And it is fundamentally different from the indigenous development of nuclear-powered submarines by non-nuclear-weapon member States. 

On the basis of the above-mentioned important factors involved in the AUKUS project, China is of the view that the IAEA Secretariat and all Member States, including the AUKUS countries, should view the unique and significant impact of the AUKUS cooperation to the integrity, effectiveness, authority and universality of the NPT and IAEA regimes in a serious and responsible manner. Bering this in mind, it is also necessary to conduct in-depth discussions at the technical and legal levels on various aspects of AUKUS within the framework of the IAEA.

The AUKUS partners insist to say that AUKUS should be regarded as a routine safeguards project. After in-depth discussions within IAEA since last year, it is clear that not all the IAEA Member States believe so. No matter what kind of safeguards arrangements are to be reached between the AUKUS partners and IAEA Secretariat, these arrangements will surely bring the Agency’s safeguards practice to new territories and uncharted waters, and setting important example or precedents.  I hope that this workshop will be conducive to a better understanding on the complicity of the above aspects of AUKUS in the context of IAEA, as well as on the importance and necessity of upholding the IAEA tradition of inclusiveness and consensus on issues concerning the development of IAEA safeguards mechanism. Only in this way will it be possible to continue to ensure the authority, effectiveness and universality of the IAEA safeguards mechanism, as well as the further efforts to promote the universality of this regime.

I would also like to emphasize that today’s workshop is open to all the IAEA member states. It is not a campaign about taking sides.  All the IAEA member states and the Secretariat should stand on the side of safeguarding the authority and effectiveness of the NPT regime and IAEA safeguards mechanism. In this regard, I invite Amb. Biggs to side with me. Let’s work together in the intergovernmental discussion process, respect and listen carefully to each other’s views and concerns, and address the challenge of AUKUS and the issue of the development of IAEA safeguards regime in the most responsible and professional manner.

I do hope with the support and participation of all participants, this workshop will make new contributions to the intergovernmental discussion process. Looking forward to benefiting from your wisdoms, insights and expertise. 

Thank you.