By Han Xudong, professor, Strategy Department, National Defense University

The Fourth Nuclear Security Summit is scheduled to be held on March 31 to April 1 in Washington D.C., capital of the United States. Since maintenance of nuclear security is the priority security issue, it deserves the world's attention. Nuclear bombs have become the most dangerous weapons in the world.

Except for the five permanent member states of the United Nations Security Council, many other countries are trying to build nuclear weapons including terrorist forces. Currently, nuclear weapons have developed from strategic weapons to tactical weapons. Both the US and Russia have developed tactical nuclear weapons. Moreover, India has mounted short-range missiles with nuclear warheads.

The large-scale development of tactical nuclear weapons has deteriorated global security. While certain country threatens to use nuclear weapons, terrorist forces feel inclined to use nuclear weapons in a bid to expand the influence of terrorist incidents.  It is one of the most urgent security issues for our society today to tackle nuclear threats and maintain security.

Nuclear weapons and leaking incidents have caused the most serious threats to our world. The Chernobyl nuclear accident and Japan's Fukushima nuclear leak accident are such examples. Compared to other weapons, atomic bombs striking Japan by the US have caused devastating lethal effects.

Since the number of nuclear energy facilities is increasing, especially after the leak accident of Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant, the peaceful use of nuclear energy has caught people's attention and that deserves further discussions.

In the Third Nuclear Security Summit, Beijing has proposed its nuclear security outlook featuring rationality and coordination, which has called for the establishment of a fair, cooperative and win-win international nuclear security system.

Nuclear security is an important part for China to participate in global governance and to perform its international liabilities and obligations. It is the common responsibility of the world to maintain nuclear security and assume global efforts to tackle nuclear threats.

( The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Panview or CCTV.com. )

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