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China may join arms control talks if US sets an example — Foreign Ministry

In case the US is the first to comply with arms limitations agreements, this will improve the situation in the field of international security, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said

BEIJING, August 2. /TASS/. China may agree to join discussions on a future strategic offensive arms reduction and limitation treaty involving the United States and Russia, but Washington must be the first to set a convincing arms control example, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Tuesday.

"The United States must set an example. If the US is the first to comply with strategic arms limitation agreements, this will be of great importance for ensuring global strategic stability and for improving the situation in the field of international security," she stressed at a news briefing, while answering a question from TASS about the Chinese authorities’ attitude to the US proposal for discussing with Russia, with China taking part, a new arms control system. "In this case, China will be ready for close contacts with all parties concerned regarding relevant global issues in the field of strategic security," she said.

At the same time, according to the Chinese diplomat, Beijing suspects that Washington’s invitation to China to participate in discussing START-4 conceals the intention "to try to shift its responsibility onto China’s shoulders."

"I have already said that the United States has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world. As for China, we adhere to a rational defensive strategy and restrict [the scale of strategic offensive weapons] as much as possible," Hua added.

On Monday, the White House released President Joe Biden’s statement timed for the opening of the UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference in New York. It reads that the United States is ready to discuss with Russia a new arms control system that will replace the New START. Washington expressed the hope that Moscow would demonstrate its willingness to work together, adding that consultations on such an issue should take place with China taking part.