中, 핵무기 현대화 작업 착수<SIPRI>

 

中, 핵무기 현대화 작업 착수

[연합뉴스] 2008년 05월 09일(금) 오전 11:46

(서울=연합뉴스) 정묘정 기자 = 중국이 구형 핵무기의 경쟁력을 우려, 핵무기 현대화에 나섰다고 영국 일간 텔레그래프가 9일 보도했다. 베이츠 질 스톡홀름 국제평화연구소(SIPRI) 소장은 8일 중국의 한 학술회의에 참석한 자리에서 중국이 핵잠수함 기지 건설에서부터 미사일 다탄두화에 이르기까지 핵 운반체계의 현대화 작업에 매진하고 있다고 밝혔다.

현재 중국의 가용 핵탄두수는 100~200개. 미국, 러시아, 영국, 프랑스 등 주요 핵보유국들과 비교했을 때 가정 적은 규모다. 질 소장은 중국이 이 같은 구형 핵 운반체계로는 다른 국가들의 선제공격을 당해낼 수 없으며 중국도 드디어 그러한 사실을 인식, 핵무기의 현대화 및 개량에 나섰다고 분석했다.

질 소장은 "주요 핵보유국 가운데에서도 중국의 핵무기 현대화 움직임은 눈에 띄는 성과를 거두고 있다"면서 특히 최근 중국이 건설 사실을 시인한 하이난(海南)성의 해군 핵잠수함 기지는 선제공격에 대한 중국의 대응력을 높여줄 것이라고 전망했다.

질 소장은 또 핵무기 현대화에 나선 중국이 향후 국제사회의 무기규제나 감축활동에 얼마나 적극적으로 참여할지는 좀 더 두고 봐야 하겠지만 적어도 현재로서는 무기규제 관련 국제협약을 무시하던 과거와는 180도 달라진 모습을 보이고 있다고 평가했다. SIPRI에 따르면 전세계 무기 교역에서 중국이 차지하는 비중은 약 2% 선으로 감소했다.

연합뉴스

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China to modernise nuclear weapons capability

By Richard Spencer in Beijing

Last Updated: 1:07AM BST 09/05/2008

China is undertaking a dramatic overhaul of its nuclear weapons in an effort to modernise and expand its arsenal.

EPA

            Chinese nuclear weaponry has fallen behind those of other major powers

One of the world's leading arms control experts has said that the Chinese have realised that their nuclear weaponry has fallen behind those of other major powers and might not survive a first strike.

Bates Gill, head of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), said that as a result it was developing more flexible delivery systems, including from submarines, as well as the capacity to use multiple warheads.

"Among the major nuclear powers China stands out in its effort to modernise, expand and improve its nuclear weapons capability," he said at a conference in Beijing.

China's first nuclear test took place amid huge patriotic pride in 1964.

But Chairman Mao was famously ambiguous about such weapons, once calling them "paper tigers".

Its arsenal, estimated at between 100 and 200 warheads, is the smallest of the big powers – the United States, Russia, Britain and France. The US is currently updating its missiles and warheads.

China now has a stated policy of never using nuclear weapons against a non-nuclear country and never as a "first strike". But Dr Gill said its static nuclear delivery system had left it vulnerable to a first strike.

A sea-based capability would "make it less likely that an adversary could wipe out the possibility of a response," he said.

The Telegraph disclosed last week that China is constructing a secret nuclear submarine base to bolster its capabilities in the Pacific.

Dr Gill said the advances China was making raised questions about whether it could be an active participant in future arms control or reduction talks.

His comments were notable for being presented alongside a spokesman for China's own arms control association, which is publishing the Chinese language version of Sipri's annual report.

Teng Jianqun, a former navy colonel in the People's Liberation Army, said the increase in military spending was partly a result of improving equipment and the living conditions for its troops, and partly due to refocusing strategy across the Taiwan strait.

On the positive side, Dr Gill said that China had made a complete about-turn in policy on weapons proliferation compared with 15 years ago, when it actively sought to undermine international treaties.

He also said that despite criticisms over its supplies of weapons to Africa and other unstable regions, its share of the global arms trade had fallen to about two per cent.