Taiwan Joins Hiroshima Peace Ceremony, Warns of China's Nuclear Buildup

Taiwan's representative to Japan, Lee Yi-yang, attended the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony for the second year running, joining delegates from 126 countries and regions to mourn atomic bomb victims. The ceremony, held at the Peace Memorial Park, drew approximately 50,000 attendees, marking a record participation of 121 countries, regions, and the European Union.

In his address, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui noted that with nuclear deterrence regaining prominence and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference failing to produce a document, "a world without nuclear weapons is drifting further away." He called on the international community to confront the humanitarian crisis posed by nuclear weapons. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, attending for the first time as premier, reaffirmed Japan's commitment to its "three non-nuclear principles" and its pursuit of a world free of nuclear weapons.

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a world without nuclear weapons is drifting further away

Lee Yi-yang stated that the ceremony commemorates the 140,000 lives lost in the world's first atomic bombing and comforts survivors. He echoed the call for a nuclear-free world and permanent peace, emphasizing the need to learn from the tragic cost of war to prevent future tragedies and transform historical pain into a force for peace. He also expressed Taiwan's deepest condolences to the victims and their families, noting that many Taiwanese and Taiwanese-Japanese soldiers working or studying in Hiroshima at the time also perished.

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should pay high attention to the threat posed by China's expansion of nuclear weapons to global peace

However, Lee also warned that as the world pursues peace, China's attempts to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, disrupt peace in the Indo-Pacific, and rapidly expand its nuclear capabilities pose the greatest threat to global peace. He cited research from international think tanks like SIPRI, FAS, and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, indicating China is the fastest-expanding nuclear power globally. Among the five NPT-recognized nuclear-weapon states, China is the only one significantly increasing its arsenal, with warheads growing from 410 in 2023 to about 610, projected to reach 2,000 by 2035, nearing U.S. and Russian levels.

Lee stressed that the Hiroshima ceremony symbolizes humanity's collective pursuit of peace, making it crucial to address the threat of China's nuclear expansion. He urged like-minded democratic nations to unite and cooperate to safeguard international order, Indo-Pacific peace, and achieve lasting world peace. The Taiwanese delegation was seated in the diplomatic area, near representatives from Paraguay, the Holy See, Israel, India, and Armenia. Lee also engaged in brief exchanges with ambassadors from several friendly nations during the event.

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China is the country with the fastest nuclear weapons expansion in the world