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US uses China as pretext to justify nuclear forces upgrade — Chinese Foreign Ministry

Lin Jian also reaffirmed China’s stance, emphasizing that the country "strictly adheres to a no-first-use policy, maintains a nuclear strategy rooted in self-defense, and keeps its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level necessary to ensure national security"

BEIJING, December 23. /TASS/. The United States is citing China’s missile deployments as a pretext to accelerate its own nuclear modernization efforts, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian. He commented on a draft Pentagon report alleging that China is establishing additional intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) sites.

"Such sensationalism by the US reflects Washington’s ongoing strategy to find pretexts for speeding up its nuclear force upgrades and to undermine global strategic stability," Lin stated.

He also reaffirmed China’s stance, emphasizing that the country "strictly adheres to a no-first-use policy, maintains a nuclear strategy rooted in self-defense, and keeps its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level necessary to ensure national security."

Earlier, Reuters, citing the draft Pentagon report, reported that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had deployed over 100 ICBMs in northern China. The report, Reuters noted, is still subject to revisions before its submission to Congress.

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