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U.S. renews pressure on China to join nuclear talks

15 February 2020 06:13 (UTC +04:00)

The United States on Friday renewed pressure on China to join nuclear arms control talks with Washington and Moscow, seeking to overcome Beijing’s long-standing opposition to entering such a dialogue, APA reports quoting Reuters.

“China has long said it will never enter into an arms race and does not seek numeric parity with the U.S and Russia. Now is the time for China to put its money where its mouth is, and prove that it is a responsible international actor,” said a senior Trump administration official.

The official was one of several who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity.

The nuclear arsenals of the United States and Russia dwarf that of China. But Beijing’s military buildup in the Asia-Pacific region has alarmed U.S. allies and policymakers.

President Donald Trump has sought to entice China into joining the United States and Russia in talks on an arms control accord to replace the 2010 New START treaty between Washington and Moscow that expires next February.

China has rejected Trump’s proposal, arguing that its smaller nuclear force is defensive and poses no threat.