China Urges U.S. To Resume Strategic Stability Talks with Russia

Feb. 8—“In the long-term interest of global strategic stability, China hopes the U.S. will resume strategic stability dialogue with Russia to discuss the way forward after the New START expires,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian stated on Feb. 6. “This, he added, "is also what the world hopes to see."

Russia’s RIA Novosti agency had asked Lin for China’s response to the expiration of the treaty, and to U.S. President Donald Trump’s talk on Feb. 5 of “developing a new, improved strategic arms agreement with Russia … instead of extending the New START Treaty.” Lin reported on the latter that China did not have any specifics on what Trump is proposing.

The day before, Lin had called the treaty’s expiration “truly regrettable”, adding that “the treaty is vital to global strategic stability, and there is widespread concern over the impact on the international nuclear arms control system and global nuclear order after the treaty expires.” 

Lin used the opportunity to reiterate China’s no-first-use policy toward nuclear weapons and its belief that nuclear disarmament must be based on the principle of full, equal security for all nations.

“China always exercises utmost prudence and responsibility on issues concerning nuclear weapons. China follows a defensive nuclear strategy and a policy of ‘no first use’ of nuclear weapons and pledged unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states and nuclear-weapon-free zones. China keeps its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required by national security and has no intention to engage in arms race with any country.

“China believes that nuclear disarmament must follow the principles of ‘maintaining global strategic stability’ and ‘undiminished security for all.’ China’s nuclear strength is by no means at the same level with that of the U.S. or Russia. Thus, China will not take part in nuclear disarmament negotiations for the time being,” he stated.