A day after global powers committed to avoiding the spread of nuclear weapons, China said it will continue to “modernize” its nuclear arsenal and called on the US and Russia to cut their stockpiles.
The United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France reaffirmed their goal of building a world free of nuclear weapons and avoiding nuclear war in a rare joint statement that put escalating West-East tensions aside.
The five nuclear countries also agreed to complete future disarmament of nuclear weapons, which had previously only been launched in combat in the US bombings of Japan at the end of WWII.
But, at a time when tensions between those same global powers are at an all-time high, balancing rhetoric with reality will be challenging.
There are growing global concerns about China’s military modernization especially after its armed forces last year announced they had developed a hyper sonic missile that can fly at five times the spread of sound.
The United States has also said China is expanding its nuclear arsenal with as many as 700 warheads by 2027 and possibly 1,000 by 2030.
“The US and Russia still possess 90 percent of the nuclear warheads on Earth,” Fu Cong, director-general of the department of arms control at the Chinese foreign ministry, told reporters.
“They must reduce their nuclear arsenal in an irreversible and legally binding manner.”
Fu hit back at Washington’s allegations.
“On assertions made by the US that China is vastly increasing its nuclear capabilities, this is untrue,” Fu said.
“China has always adopted the no first use policy and we maintain our nuclear capabilities at the minimal level required for our national security.”
“China will continue to modernize its nuclear arsenal for reliability and safety issues,” he added.
Beijing and Washington’s ties have been strained on several issues, including China’s intentions to reunify Taiwan, which is self-governed —- by force if necessary.
Fu ruled out the possibility of nuclear weapons being deployed near the Taiwan Strait.
