Policy Brief No.273: China’s Expanding Arms Control Agenda and East Asian Security

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This policy brief argues that the first standalone arms control white paper released by China in two decades positions China less as a participant in traditional arms-reduction frameworks and more as a rule-shaper in future security governance. The document signals a more assertive Chinese approach to arms control, combining long-standing principles such as no-first-use and UN-centred multilateralism with an expanded focus on emerging domains including artificial intelligence, cyberspace, and outer space. The brief assesses the implications of China’s approach for regional stability and outlines practical options for governments, international organisations, and civil society to engage China on arms control while mitigating escalation risks.