China pledges to ‘modernize’ its nuclear weapons — Analysis
After joining the world’s most powerful nations in pledging to work together on disarmament and avoid nuclear war, China is continuing to overhaul its stash of atomic weapons, and calling on others to reduce their stockpiles.
“China has always adopted the no first use policy and we maintain our nuclear capabilities at the minimal level required for our national security,” Fu Cong, the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s top arms control director, told reporters on Tuesday, according to AFP.
China will keep modernizing its nuclear arsenal to ensure safety and reliability.He added.
China, along with France, the UK, Russia and Russia signed Monday a declaration declaring their support for NATO. “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.”Also, the five nuclear power nations agreed to collaborate on “bilateral and multilateral non-proliferation, disarmament, and arms control agreements and commitments,”They should not be allowed to target each other’s nuclear weapons.
This statement was made amid high tensions among some signatories. Aside from the ongoing standoff between the US and Russia over NATO expansion in Europe and the future of Ukraine, the US has also marshalled its allies into two military and diplomatic alliances – the AUKUS pact and the Quad – aimed at countering China’s growing regional influence in the Pacific.
The Pentagon claimed in November that China is dramatically increasing its stockpile of nuclear warheads, and is on track to possess at least 1,000 by the end of the decade – a doubling of previous US estimates. While Beijing at the time neither confirmed or denied any nuclear expansion, Fu on Tuesday told reporters that the US’ “assertions”These are “untrue.”
Fu also called upon Washington’s and Moscow’s leaders to decrease their nuclear arsenals.
“The US, Russia and China still have 90 percent of all nuclear warheads in the world,”He stated. They must immediately and legally reduce their nuclear arsenal.”
This sentiment is supported by the US and Russia at least theoretically. A commitment was made by the five nuclear powers to establish a new international standard in Monday’s joint statement. “a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.”
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