Beijing (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – During a briefing on Wednesday, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said that it is “unreasonable and unrealistic” to ask Beijing to enter nuclear disarmament talks with America and Russia.
He made these comments following U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement that he had talked about nuclear arms control with Russian President Vladimir Putin and expressed a desire for China to participate as well.
How does Beijing justify its nuclear weapons policy?
“The nuclear forces of China and the United States are not at the same level at all, and the strategic security environment and nuclear policies of the two countries are totally different,”
Guo expressed.
“It’s unreasonable and unrealistic to demand that China enter trilateral talks on nuclear disarmament together with Russia and the US,”
He emphasized
Beijing pursues a policy of no first use of nuclear weapons and a nuclear strategy of self-defence, he stated, also saying China will not pledge to an arms race with any other nation.
“Countries with the largest nuclear arsenals should earnestly fulfil their special priority responsibilities for nuclear disarmament,”
Guo said.
How does Trump link denuclearisation to global security goals?
In response to a journalist’s questions, Trump said on Monday, before he meets with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, that
“one of the things we’re trying to do with Russia and with China is denuclearisation, and it’s very important.”
He stressed the need to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and underscored the seriousness of nuclear arms control as a major global issue.
Trump also stated that if the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) expires without being replaced by another agreement, it would pose a “problem for the world.”
“I think the denuclearisation is a very — it’s a big aim, but Russia is willing to do it, and I think China is going to be willing to do it too. We can’t let nuclear weapons proliferate. We have to stop nuclear weapons. The power is too great,”
Trump said.
How do the nuclear arsenals of the US, Russia, and China compare?
According to unconfirmed reports, Russia has approximately 4,300 nuclear warheads, and the U.S. has approximately 3,700 nuclear warheads, collectively accounting for almost 87% of the world’s nuclear arsenals, while China is estimated to possess about 600 nuclear warheads.
The last treaty addressing limits on these arsenals, the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), will expire in February 2026, and some experts have raised concerns that if the parties do not reach a new agreement, an arms race may be imminent.
