"The world united to condemn the mysterious**: 107 countries strongly demanded total destruction"
One of the things that shocked the world was cluster munitions, also known as submunitions. The lethality of this horror has led 107 countries to speak out and demand its destruction. However, a thought-provoking question is: why did China not sign the joint statement?
Bombs, since ancient times, have been common and deadly on the battlefield**. As early as the beginning of warfare, bombs were widely used, using the pressure and fragments generated by ** to cause damage and damage to enemy targets. However, there are some limitations to bombs, such as limited coverage and uneven damage, which have prompted people to seek more lethal **, and cluster munitions are one of them.
Cluster munitions are a type of munition developed in the mid-20th century and are characterized by the loading of a large number of small bomblets or explosives into a casing that can be ejected or released to cover a wider area. The lethality and reach of this ** is staggering, but it is also controversial for the harm it inflicts on innocent civilians. Why did China fail to sign a joint statement issued by 107 countries calling for the destruction of this horrific cluster munition?
Cluster munitions derive their power from their large numbers of small bomblets or explosives. Once dropped into the target area, the shell explodes, scattering hundreds to thousands of small bullets or explosives, creating multiple killing points and causing great damage. This multi-point killing effect makes it an extremely terrifying ** on the battlefield. However, it has also led to indiscriminate harm to innocent civilians.
In an effort to reduce harm to civilians, the United Nations adopted the Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2008, which prohibits the production, stockpiling, transfer and use of cluster munitions. In August 2010, the Convention entered into force, requiring States Parties to destroy all cluster bombs within eight years. However, the United States, Russia, India, Israel and other countries have not signed the convention, which has attracted global attention.
It is curious why China, as a peace-pro-peace country, did not sign the 107-nation joint statement calling for the destruction of cluster munitions. China stresses that cluster bombs are a conventional** possession but never used, solely for self-defense. By contrast, some of the countries that possess the largest and produce the most cluster bombs are frequently used on the battlefield, especially the United States.
Looking back at the 1991 Gulf War, the United States dropped thousands of cluster bombs in just a few months, destroying a large number of Iraqi tank armor and killing and wounding a large number of soldiers. However, this also led to a large number of bomb remnants that greatly affected the Iraqi people after the war. It is reported that at that time there were about 34,744 small bombs on the ground without **. In the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States used cluster munitions to cause many innocent civilians.
As of 2009, 33 countries worldwide produced cluster bombs and 84 countries possessed them. Shockingly, with the exception of China, the other four P5 countries have used this lethal in large quantities. As of July 2023, 120 countries have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, but the United States and Russia have not signed it.
Against this backdrop, China's attitude has attracted widespread attention. Some foreign experts called on China to join the convention, but China firmly refused, saying that it would not be interfered with by double standards. China noted that cluster munitions are a routine** and that they are possessed and not used, in contrast to the misuse of cluster munitions on the battlefield in some other countries.
Overall, the horrific power of cluster munitions has aroused global concern, and the joint statement of 107 countries highlights the strong antipathy to this kind of munitions. China's position on this issue, as a key international player, will shape the global perception of cluster munitions. This also makes us need to seriously think about whether the international community's norms and restrictions on the use of ** are strong enough, as well as the responsibilities and obligations of States in terms of ** control.
War is not only a confrontation between countries, but also a shadow of human civilization. In the story behind ***, we need to think about not only the cruelty of war, but also how human beings should work together to avoid the harm caused by war. Perhaps, this is what really makes us think about the problem of cluster munitions.