Challenges to the International Nuclear Order

The appearance of nuclear weapons has posed unprecedented threats of war to mankind. With joint efforts of the international community, a series of international norms and arrangements have been gradually established, mainly involving nuclear disarmament and nuclear arms control, prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons, as well as non-proliferation of nuclear arms, effectively influencing nuclear activities among sovereign states, warding off the outbreak of nuclear war, and limiting the number of nuclear states. Since the beginning of the 21 st century, the international strategic environment has undergone major changes. Mankind has entered a new age when nuclear and missile technologies have been proliferated in an accelerated way, with Iran’s nuclear capability steadily growing, the DPRK obtaining nuclear weapons by successfully breaching the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, and non-state actors becoming the major subjects to proliferate nuclear technology and nuclear materials. Since coming into office, Trump has thoroughly negated the policy proposition of a nuclear-free world advocated by Obama, insisting on building a powerful missile defense system, developing new forms of strategic weapons, producing low-yield nuclear warheads, and withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear agreement.Trump’s policy adjustment has much weakened the nuclear taboo and the nuclear non-proliferation regime, and has initiated a new round in the race toward cutting edge nuclear weapons technology, thus undermining strategic stability among major powers, all highlighting historic limitations of the international nuclear order.