China has suspended nuclear non-proliferation and arms control talks with the United States in retaliation for Washington’s recent weapons sales to Taiwan, Beijing announced on Wednesday.
The first meeting in years between U.S. and Chinese representatives, the contents of which have not been made public, took place last November and was aimed at avoiding an arms race between the superpowers.
According to the media, the meeting was not a formal negotiation, and occurred shortly before talks between the leaders of the two countries, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, at the APEC summit in San Francisco, bringing a temporary warming in bilateral relations. Previously, China had refused to participate in a dialog with the U.S. on nuclear weapons.
Since then, no further dialog has been publicly disclosed, with a White House official in January urging Beijing to engage with “substantive ideas on risk reduction.”
However, China’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that recent U.S. arms sales to Taiwan had “seriously undermined the political atmosphere for continued arms control consultations.”
Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian criticized the U.S., saying it had “continued its arms sales to Taiwan, and taken a series of negative actions that seriously damage China's core interests and undermine political mutual trust.”
As a result, China has decided to halt negotiations with the U.S. on a new round of arms control and non-proliferation consultations, Lin added.
A Pentagon report from October said that China was rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal, possessing over 500 operational nuclear warheads as of May 2023, with the number expected to rise to over 1,000 by 2030.
In comparison, the U.S. has some 3,700 nuclear warheads, while Russia holds around 4,500, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Lin indicated that China remains open to communication with the U.S. on international arms control issues, provided there is mutual respect. However, he emphasized that the U.S. must respect China’s core interests and create conducive conditions for dialog.
The United States shifted diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979 but has continued to be Taiwan’s primary partner and largest arms supplier, prompting frequent objections from China.
In June, Washington approved two military sales to Taiwan worth around $300 million, mainly for spare and repair parts for the island’s F-16 fighter jets.
According to the media, the meeting was not a formal negotiation, and occurred shortly before talks between the leaders of the two countries, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, at the APEC summit in San Francisco, bringing a temporary warming in bilateral relations. Previously, China had refused to participate in a dialog with the U.S. on nuclear weapons.
Since then, no further dialog has been publicly disclosed, with a White House official in January urging Beijing to engage with “substantive ideas on risk reduction.”
However, China’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that recent U.S. arms sales to Taiwan had “seriously undermined the political atmosphere for continued arms control consultations.”
Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian criticized the U.S., saying it had “continued its arms sales to Taiwan, and taken a series of negative actions that seriously damage China's core interests and undermine political mutual trust.”
As a result, China has decided to halt negotiations with the U.S. on a new round of arms control and non-proliferation consultations, Lin added.
A Pentagon report from October said that China was rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal, possessing over 500 operational nuclear warheads as of May 2023, with the number expected to rise to over 1,000 by 2030.
In comparison, the U.S. has some 3,700 nuclear warheads, while Russia holds around 4,500, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Lin indicated that China remains open to communication with the U.S. on international arms control issues, provided there is mutual respect. However, he emphasized that the U.S. must respect China’s core interests and create conducive conditions for dialog.
The United States shifted diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979 but has continued to be Taiwan’s primary partner and largest arms supplier, prompting frequent objections from China.
In June, Washington approved two military sales to Taiwan worth around $300 million, mainly for spare and repair parts for the island’s F-16 fighter jets.
Source: TWP World, PAP, voanews.com
More In Politics MORE...
