China detonated her first atomic bomb on Oct. 16, thereby becoming the fifth nuclear Power after the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France.
Double-click on any word and see its definition from Cambridge Dictionaries Online
Read the article and then do an activity
Although not mentioned in the Chinese communiqué, it was stated in the U.S.A. and confirmed by President Johnson that the site of the explosion was in the vicinity of Lop Nor, a lake in a remote and desolate region of the Central Asian province of Sinkiang. According to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, the Chinese had detonated a fission device employing uranium-235 (suggesting an explosive power of 20,000 tons of T.N.T. or less), the A.E.C. describing it as a low-yield explosion "typical of an early nuclear test."
The official Hsinhua News Agency announced that China had successfully exploded her first atomic bomb "in the western region of China," while the following statement was issued in Peking by the Chinese Government:
"China exploded an atom bomb at 15.00 hours on October 16, 1964, and thereby conducted successfully its first nuclear test. This is a major achievement of the Chinese people in their struggle to increase their national defence capability and oppose the U.S. imperialist policy of nuclear blackmail and nuclear threats.
"To defend oneself is the inalienable right of every sovereign State. And to safeguard world peace is the common task of all peace-loving countries. China cannot remain idle and do nothing in the face of the ever-increasing nuclear threat posed by the United States. China is forced to conduct nuclear tests and develop nuclear weapons.
"The atom bomb is a paper tiger. This famous saying by Chairman Mao Tse-tung is known to all. This was our view in the past and is still our view. China is developing nuclear weapons not because we believe in the omnipotence of nuclear weapons or because China plans to use nuclear weapons. The truth is exactly to the contrary. In developing nuclear weapons, China's aim is to break the nuclear monopoly of the nuclear Powers and to eliminate nuclear weapons.
"The Chinese Government hereby solemnly declares that China will never at any time and under any circumstances be the first to use nuclear weapons.... On the question of nuclear weapons, China will neither commit the error of adventurism nor the error of capitulationism....
"We are convinced that nuclear weapons, which are after all created by man, will be eliminated by man."
More than a fortnight before the Chinese test, Mr. Dean Rusk had stated in Washington on Sept. 29 that the United States expected Communist China to conduct an atmospheric nuclear test in the near future, and would inform the world if it occurred.
The Secretary of State said: "The United States has fully anticipated the possibility of Peking's entry into the nuclear weapons field and has taken it into full account in determining our military posture and our own nuclear weapons programme. We would deplore atmospheric testing in the face of serious efforts made by almost all other nations to protect the atmosphere from further contamination and to begin to put limitations upon a spiralling arms race."
In Britain, the Foreign Office issued a statement expressing "deep disappointment" at China's nuclear test "in the face of world opinion and the hopes raised by the test-ban treaty." The statement--the first from the Foreign Office under the Labour Government--said:
"There is of course a vast difference between the first test of a crude device and the emergence of a country as a military nuclear Power. This test will not, therefore, affect the military situation in Asia. Moreover, in view of the massive nuclear power and defence systems available to the Western Alliance, no foreseeable development of nuclear capacity by the Chinese could significantly affect the balance of military power."
Among other reactions, the Japanese Government made a "stern protest" at the Chinese atomic test, while the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Shastri, said that China's action had confronted both India and Asia with a "nuclear menace." On the other hand the Albanian Government sent a telegram to Peking expressing "great joy" at a "brilliant victory which strengthens the defence potential of China and the whole Socialist camp."
Peking radio announced on Oct. 20 that Mr. Chou En-lai, the Chinese Prime Minister, had sent messages to all Heads of Government for a world summit conference on nuclear disarmament, as stated in the Chinese announcement of Oct. 16. Mr. Dean Rusk told a news conference on Oct. 21 that the United States did not regard Communist China's proposal "as having any practical value."
(Hsinhua News Agency - Peking Review - New York Times - U.S. Information Service - Times - Guardian)
Keesings Worldwide Online
| 
