Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., from March 31 to April 1. At the event, Xi articulated China’s stance on nuclear security and emphasized its responsibility as a major country.

Xi’s participation in the summit represents a concrete step toward resolving an issue that is vital to the survival of humanity. It also reflects the new model of China-US major country relations and efforts to expand strategic cooperation among major countries. 

Nuclear security is closely related to international security, human survival and peaceful development. The meeting of world leaders has the same connotations as the Conference on Global Climate Change, the Global Development Summit and G20 Summit.

Nuclear energy is a double-edged sword. In a secure environment, nuclear technology can be used to benefit mankind, but it also has the potential to bring harm. Nuclear materials and technologies are increasingly at risk of being stolen by terrorists. While the world remains haunted by the threat of nuclear leaks and attacks, the construction of a global framework for nuclear security is ongoing.
 

The Nuclear Security Summit has become an important platform for global governance, security cooperation and multilateral diplomacy. So far, three of these summits have brought developing and developed countries together to address the threat of nuclear proliferation and terrorism. 
 

Nuclear security is one of the most important components of national security along with territorial, social, technological and ecological security. The Chinese government continues to develop nuclear countermeasures and forge a culture of security. It resolutely opposes nuclear proliferation and works to disrupt nuclear terrorism while fulfilling international obligations and participating in external cooperation.
 

China’s achievements in the field of nuclear security are an example of what major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics means in practice. China participates in global governance while working to build a better, more secure international order.
 

Of all bilateral relationships, the one between the United States and China has the greatest impact on the international system. Strategic cooperation can no longer depend solely on economic and trade exchanges. It is necessary to find new arenas for cooperation in such epochal issues as regional and human security.
 

As two strong nuclear powers, China and the United States have the potential to grow closer by partnering to address nuclear security. The two sides have carried out cooperation on this issue that has advanced bilateral security interests as well as the security of all mankind. For example, in the summer of 2015, China and the United States agreed to cooperate to prevent nuclear proliferation and the illicit trafficking of nuclear substances. The first nuclear security dialogue was held between the two sides in February. The Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security, a joint effort by China and the United States, started operation in Beijing on March 18.

Lu Zhongwei is the former president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.