EMBARGOED UNTIL SATURDAY 5 AUGUST 1995

A U S T R A L I A T I B E T C O U N C I L

National Office - P.O. Box 1236 Potts Point NSW 2011 Australia

tel: 61 2 360 9669 fax: 61 2 360 9057

MEDIA RELEASE - HIROSHIMA DAY

STOP CHINESE NUCLEAR TESTING IN CENTRAL ASIA

- China plans to explode a nuclear weapon later this month - (weeks before the proposed French test at Muraroa Atoll)

- China has exploded at least six nuclear weapons in the last three years

- China is the only nation currently defying the moratorium on nuclear testing

The Australia Tibet Council today called on the Australian Government to take a tougher stance opposing China's ongoing nuclear weapons testing program. China is preparing to explode its second nuclear weapon for the year at its test site on the edge of the Tibetan plateau in Central Asia later this month.

The Government should impose economic and military sanctions against China to the same extent as it has against France over its plans to resume nuclear testing, according to Australia Tibet Council President, Mr Stewart Johnson.

Mr Johnson also called on Senator Evans to lead a contingent of Australian politicians and community leaders to China's test site in Central Asia to protest at China's proposed nuclear test later this month.

"The international community has rightly condemned the arrogance of France for planning to resume nuclear testing in the South Pacific. But it is hypocritical of us to let China off with a slap on the wrist every time it explodes another nuclear bomb on occupied soil", Mr Johnson said.

China is about to explode its sixth weapon since the rest of the world began the testing moratorium three years ago. "All nuclear testing is unacceptable - whether it be French nuclear testing in the South Pacific, or Chinese nuclear testing in Central Asia," Mr Johnson said today. The most recent Chinese test was on 15 May this year, a mere four days after China had itself signed the extension to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. In addition, China has announced that it will explode four more nuclear weapons at its test site in Central Asia before the end of 1996.

France located its test site in a distant colonial territory thousands of kilometres from Paris. Similarly, China has located its nuclear testing facilities not near Beijing, but in the far reaches of its colonial empire in regions inhabited by non-Chinese peoples - in occupied Tibet, Mongolia and East Turkestan.

Like Muraroa, China's nuclear weapons research sites on the Tibetan plateau remain environmental catastrophes. Further comment:

Alex Butler Australia Tibet Council Media Liaison Officer tel/fax: 61 3 9499 1841 Email: abutler@peg.apc.org

Stewart Johnson Australia Tibet Council President tel/fax 61 02 293302 Email: sjohnson@peg.apc.org