Backgrounder: Major nuclear states' stances on disarmament and non-proliferation

BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev signed a landmark nuclear arms control deal on Thursday in the Czech capital of Prague.

The following are the world's major nuclear states' stances on disarmament and non-proliferation.

CHINA

China urges a total ban on and complete destruction of nuclear weapons, and firmly rejects nuclear proliferation. It pursues the conclusion of an international legal document to this effect. It also advocates peaceful use of nuclear power and international cooperation in this regard.

China has committed not to initiate the use of nuclear force under all circumstances, and has undertaken to refrain unconditionally from using or threatening to use nuclear force against any non-nuclear states or regions.

THE UNITED STATES

The United States owns the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, and the Congress has not yet ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CNTBT).

President Obama has made a shift of strategy on nuclear issues from the Bush administration since he took office. His nuclear policy boils down to rebuilding U.S. leadership in non-proliferation and arms control and upgrading its nuclear arsenal while not developing new nuclear weapons.

The Nuclear Posture Review issued by the Pentagon on Wednesday puts preventing nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism at the top of the U.S. nuclear agenda.