The importance and urgency of providing security assurances for non-nuclear-weapon states has become more prominent in the current situation, says a white paperissued by the Information Office of the State Council on Monday.

"China supports the negotiation and conclusion of an international legally binding instrument on this issue," says the white paper titled China's National Defense in 2004.

China consistently stands for complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, and is the only country among the five nuclear weapon states to commit itself not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones.

"China appeals to the four other nuclear weapon states to make the same commitment," says the white paper.

According to the white paper, the key to pushing forward the international arms control and disarmament process at present is to break the deadlock at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

China supports the conference in its efforts to start substantive work on the following four topics: nuclear disarmament, the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon states, and prevention of an arms race in outer space.

"The FMCT is of great significance to preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and facilitating the nuclear disarmament process. China supports an early conclusion of the treaty through negotiations," says the white paper.

Outer space is the common property of mankind. China hopes the international community would take early action to conclude an international legal instrument on preventing the weaponization of and arms race in outer space through negotiations to ensure the peaceful use of outer space, the white paper says.

China favors discussions on and settlement of issues such as "terrorism and weapons of mass destruction," "radioactive weapons" and "observance of international treaties on disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation" within multilateral arms control framework, says the white paper.

China consistently stands for maintaining the authority of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and promoting its universality, and supports and participates in the safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency, says the white paper.

China also supports the leading role played by the United Nations in combating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, and attaches importance to the solution of the humanitarian issue arising from landmines.