BEIJING, August 21. /TASS/. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has slammed the United States as the biggest source of nuclear threat and strategic risks in the world.
"The United States, which has the largest advanced nuclear arsenal, stubbornly pursues the policy of nuclear deterrence based on the first use of nuclear weapons as it keeps investing large funds in upgrading its nuclear triad and openly adapting nuclear deterrence strategies to apply them to other countries. The US is the largest global creator of strategic risks and nuclear threat," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said at a briefing, commenting on reports that US President Joe Biden had approved a secret strategic nuclear plan in March, which for the first time mentioned deterrence against China amid its growing nuclear arsenals.
Mao called on the US "to adopt a conscientious approach to its primary responsibility of nuclear disarmament and stop expanding nuclear deterrence measures and nuclear alliances, as well as taking other actions that undermine international and regional peace and stability."
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump earlier said that China could potentially surpass the US as the world’s largest nuclear power following its current build-up. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in July 2023 that by 2035, China would have 1,500 nuclear warheads on missiles capable of reaching European countries and the US.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US told TASS on June 8 that Washington was working to undermine the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime despite having the largest and most advanced nuclear arsenal in the world.