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No plans to take part in disarmament talks with Russia, US — China

US Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea informed on Monday that he had reached an agreement with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov to hold nuclear arms negotiations later in the month, possibly involving China
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying  AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying
© AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

BEIJING, June 9. /TASS/. Beijing has no plans to take part in trilateral talks on arms control with Russia and the United States, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a briefing on Tuesday.

"We have repeatedly clarified our position. China does not intend to participate in the so-called trilateral talks on arms control with Russia and the US," she pointed out.

"The US continues attempts to engage China. It’s typical of the US to try to shift responsibility on to others. In recent years, the United States has withdrawn from a number of international agreements, including the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the Arms Trade Treaty and the Treaty on Open Skies, and now it is considering the possibility of resuming nuclear testing. It is absurd to hear an official from this country speak about good faith," the Chinese diplomat added.

US Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea wrote on Twitter on Monday that he had reached an agreement with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov to hold nuclear arms negotiations later in the month. "China also invited. Will China show and negotiate in good faith?" he added.

Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing a US Department of State official, that Billingslea and Ryabkov would hold talks in Vienna on June 22. "The official didn’t rule out that the US may be willing to extend the Obama-era New START nuclear-weapons treaty, which is set to expire in February, provided Russia commits to three-way arms control with China and helps to bring a resistant Beijing to the table," Bloomberg said.