The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) on Friday convened here to discuss "Technical, Legal and Political Aspects of Non-NPT States' Participation in the NSG", in accordance with the mandate adopted by the Seoul Plenary in June this year.

Wang Qun, Director-General of the Arms Control Department of China's Foreign Ministry, headed the Chinese delegation to the NSG meeting.

China maintains that, any formula worked out should be non-discriminatory and applicable to all non-NPT states; without prejudice to the core value of the NSG and the effectiveness, authority and integrity of the international non-proliferation regime with the NPT as its cornerstone; and without contradicting the customary international law in the field of non-proliferation.

China is ready to work with all parties to promote early progress by the Group in this regard, the Chinese delegation said in a press release.

This is the first time, not only since the Seoul Plenary, but also since the NSG's inception in 1975, for the Group to formally take up the issue of non-NPT states' participation in an open and transparent manner.

The participating governments offered their observations on the key issues dealt with in the above papers as they pertain to the issue of technical, legal and political aspects of non-NPT states' participation in the NSG.

The Chinese delegation participated in the meeting in a constructive manner and contributed its substantive inputs.

China believes that, the meeting marks a good beginning of the two-step inter-governmental process launched by the Group.

China supports the continuation of this open and transparent inter-governmental process, in accordance with relevant rules of the Group, and to ensure a solid first step taken towards an early formula on the above issue, so that the Group can proceed to the second step of taking up country specific membership application by non-NPT states at an early date.