Beijing asserts it has ‘no intention’ of engaging in a nuclear arms race with the US, says foreign ministry
China has reinforced its commitment to a “no first use” nuclear policy while accusing the US of engaging in scare-mongering. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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China has criticized the United States for inaccurately depicting it as a “nuclear threat.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning labeled Washington’s concerns over Beijing’s nuclear capabilities as entirely unfounded. Her remarks followed a report from the New York Times stating that US President Joe Biden had discreetly revised the Nuclear Employment Guidance to place greater emphasis on China.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, Mao expressed that Beijing is “gravely concerned” about the report. She pointed out, “The US has called China a ‘nuclear threat’ and used it as a convenient pretext for the US to shirk its obligation of nuclear disarmament.”
Mao highlighted that the scale of China’s nuclear arsenal is “by no means on the same level with the US,” emphasizing that Beijing adheres to a policy of “no first use” of nuclear weapons and maintains its nuclear capabilities at the minimum necessary for national security. She reiterated that China has “no intention to engage in any form of arms race” with other nations.
According to Mao, “It is the US who is the primary source of nuclear threats and strategic risks in the world.”
In 2023, the Pentagon projected that China’s operational nuclear warhead stockpile would double to over 1,000 by 2030. In comparison, the US possesses 5,550 warheads, while Russia has 6,255, based on estimates from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The White House has sought to downplay China’s reactions, with spokesman Sean Savett characterizing the change in nuclear strategy as a routine update that was “not a response to any single entity, country, nor threat.” However, US officials have consistently described Beijing as “a challenge” to global peace and have accused it of economic and military coercion in the Indo-Pacific region. In response, Beijing has attributed the ongoing tensions to the US, urging Washington to move away from its “Cold-War mentality.”
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning labeled Washington’s concerns over Beijing’s nuclear capabilities as entirely unfounded. Her remarks followed a report from the New York Times stating that US President Joe Biden had discreetly revised the Nuclear Employment Guidance to place greater emphasis on China.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, Mao expressed that Beijing is “gravely concerned” about the report. She pointed out, “The US has called China a ‘nuclear threat’ and used it as a convenient pretext for the US to shirk its obligation of nuclear disarmament.”
Mao highlighted that the scale of China’s nuclear arsenal is “by no means on the same level with the US,” emphasizing that Beijing adheres to a policy of “no first use” of nuclear weapons and maintains its nuclear capabilities at the minimum necessary for national security. She reiterated that China has “no intention to engage in any form of arms race” with other nations.
According to Mao, “It is the US who is the primary source of nuclear threats and strategic risks in the world.”
In 2023, the Pentagon projected that China’s operational nuclear warhead stockpile would double to over 1,000 by 2030. In comparison, the US possesses 5,550 warheads, while Russia has 6,255, based on estimates from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The White House has sought to downplay China’s reactions, with spokesman Sean Savett characterizing the change in nuclear strategy as a routine update that was “not a response to any single entity, country, nor threat.” However, US officials have consistently described Beijing as “a challenge” to global peace and have accused it of economic and military coercion in the Indo-Pacific region. In response, Beijing has attributed the ongoing tensions to the US, urging Washington to move away from its “Cold-War mentality.”
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
