China’s Nuclear Policy and “No First Use” (NFU) is a decision for not using nuclear weapon first that will be used in retaliation during any conflict only if attacked with nuclear weapons. This stance makes China different from the other four permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, as well as the only nation to ever make such commitment.
Recently, China has urged other nuclear powers including the US to adopt similar NFU policies. Treaty on arms control.” Yet US officials and those of its allies see this as a Chinese move aimed at deflecting criticism of its rapid development in terms of nuclear accumulation. This process, involving; therefore; growing its nuclear arsenal, establishing new missile silos and upgrading its delivery systems, could make China equal to Russia and the United States in terms of being a world power.
What does “NFU” policy mean?
“No First Use” (NFU) policy means that states having nuclear weapons will not initiate use of these weapons in any armed conflict. In this case, it implies that such state can use them as a response to any attacking by way of launching them back once they have been hit with similar bombs.
To clarify further, under no first use policy (NFU), countries do not want to start a nuclear war but are free to respond to attacks through deployment of their own atomic bombs. The aim behind this strategy is ensuring other nations that NFU states won’t launch an atomic attack hence reducing chances for an occurrence of a nuclear war. However, it still maintains deterrence by promising to retaliate if nuclear weapons are used against it.
Which states have atomic bombs?
Nine states including US, Russia, UK, France, China itself India Pakistan North Korea and Israel are recognized possessors.
What exactly is meant by ‘nuclear deterrence’?
Nuclear deterrence refers to one country preventing or discouraging another state from attacking it when it has atomic armaments. The idea is that if a country has a nuclear weapon and is ready to use it for reprisal, such state will intimidate or stop any would-be adversary from launching an attack, especially in form of nuclear strike.
The principle revolves around the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), meaning if one nation launches an atomic strike, the other will respond with its own nukes resulting into extensive destruction on both parties. This menace reduces the likelihood of such aggression since they are aware that attacking can lead to their own national annihilation.
In essence, nuclear deterrence acts like a warning signal: “If you attack us, we will respond with nuclear force, which will be catastrophic for both of us.” The objective of this menace is to make conflict costlier by To great even think about keeping peace.
Wait, I’ve heard something mentioned like Protocol IV? Is it real?
Ah! Fans of Frederick Forsyth!
This is a fictional novel written by British author Frederick Forsyth in 1984. It tells a story about secret Soviet mission which aims at exploding a nuclear bomb in Britain appearing as if it was accidental or that western countries mishandled it. Its main goal was destabilizing United Kingdom influencing its political structure.
Protocol IV is a title that refers to a fictional secret agreement which was an agreement or understanding between states that are supposed to prevent the use of nuclear weapons in such secretive ways. Breaking this kind of agreement in the book could have cataclysmic implications and international instability.
Frederick Forsyth has created a fictional world where several “agreements” were tacitly understood as secret agreements or understandings about handling nuclear weapons. Although Forsyth did not explicitly spell out each one, he implied they were key agreements reached by nuclear powers to avoid certain types of nuclear conflict or abuse. Here are these fictional structures represented through some general ideas:
First Protocol: This may mean an agreement not to allow unauthorized use of nuclear weapons so that deployment can only be done after proper authorization through military and government channels as set up.
Second Protocol: This probably might be seen as some sort of safeguards against accidental launch and/or detonation of a nuclear weapon, and possibly involving safety measures and secure command and control systems.
Third Protocol: This may mean that there is a prohibition on using nukes during wars unless there is a retaliatory action after the first strike on your own territory; this policy refers to “no first use.”
Fourth Protocol: The central fictitious structure within the novel itself is the treaty which specifically prohibits secret transportation, carrying, or smuggling out of another country for purposes of concealing origin as regards any detonation. In fact, it would make breach of this protocol one more plot twist in his novel when Soviets try secretly planting and exploding atomic bombs at Britain so as to manipulate political processes there.