WASHINGTON, February 5. /TASS/. Beijing considers it unfair and unreasonable for the United States to seek China's involvement in the Russia-US nuclear arms reduction process at the current stage, a diplomat with the Chinese Embassy in the United States told TASS.
"China’s position on a trilateral negotiation with the US and Russia on nuclear arms control is clear," the source stated. "China’s nuclear strength is by no means at the same level with that of the US. It is neither fair nor reasonable to ask China to join the nuclear disarmament negotiations at this stage."
"China follows a policy of 'no first use' of nuclear weapons and a nuclear strategy that focuses on self-defense," he continued. "China always keeps its nuclear strength at the minimum level required by national security, and never engages in arms race with anyone."
"China’s nuclear strength and nuclear policy contribute to world peace," the Chinese official added.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this week that the New START treaty expires on February 5 and that US President Donald Trump’s administration believes genuine 21st-century arms control is impossible without taking China into account.
The Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the New START Treaty) was signed in 2010 and entered into force on February 5, 2011.
The document stipulates that seven years after its entry into effect each party should have no more than a total of 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) and strategic bombers, as well as no more than 1,550 warheads on deployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs and strategic bombers, and a total of 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, SLBM launchers and strategic bombers. The treaty was signed for a term of ten years, until February 5, 2021, with a possibility of a further extension upon the parties’ mutual consent.
In February 2021, Moscow and Washington extended the treaty, described by the Russian authorities as the golden standard in the sphere of disarmament, for the maximal possible five years.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 21, 2023 that Russia was suspending its participation in New START but was not withdrawing from it. The president stressed that before returning to the discussion of the extension of the treaty, the Russian side wanted to understand how New START will take into account not only the US’ arsenals but also stockpiles of other NATO nuclear powers, namely the UK and France.
The treaty expires on February 5, 2026. Putin announced in September 2025 at a meeting with the Russian Security Council that Moscow is ready to continue adhering to the quantitative restrictions under New START for another year after its expiration. However, he noted that this measure would only be viable if Washington acted in a similar manner. Responding to a TASS question on October 5, 2025, US President Donald Trump called Putin’s proposal a good idea. However, the US has not taken any practical action in response to Russia's proposals.