China Suspends Nuclear Arms Control Talks with US Over Taiwan Arms Sales.
Security Lense/ National Security and Privacy | News and Media| 10-July-2024
Background
BEIJING: China has abruptly halted nuclear discussions with the United States, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on Wednesday. China calls it a direct response to Washington’s continued weapon sales to Taiwan a long-standing point of contention between the two superpowers.
This move by China is seen as a significant blow to global arms control efforts, placing Beijing in alignment with Moscow, which has also refused to engage with Washington on nuclear arms control measures. Analysts noted this development with concern, a move that threatens to further impact bilateral relations
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that recent U.S. arms sales to Taiwan have severely damaged the political climate necessary for continuing arms-control talks. He said, “the US has ignored China’s firm opposition and repeated representations, continued arm sales to Taiwan and taken a series of negative actions that seriously harm China’s core interests. It undermined political Mutual trust between the two sides and severely undermine the political atmosphere for the two sides to continue Arms Control consultations.
The US remains Taiwan’s most important partner and biggest armed supplier sparking repeated condemnation from China. In June Washington approved two military sales to Taiwan worth $300 million dollar comprising mostly spares and repair parts for the Island’s F-16 fighter jets. Consequently, China has decided to suspend further discussions on arms control and non-proliferation with the U.S., placing the blame squarely on Washington.
Lin emphasized that China remains open to communication on international arms control but insisted that the U.S. must respect China’s core interests and create propitious conditions for dialogue.
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In response, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed disappointment, noting that China’s stance mirrors Russia’s, asserting that arms control talks cannot proceed amid broader bilateral challenges. Miller warned that this approach undermines strategic stability and increases the risk of an arms race. Despite China’s suspension of talks, the U.S. remains open to developing risk-reduction measures with China.
This decision follows the Biden administration’s recent indication that the U.S. might need to deploy more strategic nuclear weapons to counter growing threats from China and Russia.
Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, stressed that the U.S., Russia, and China, as signatories of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, are obligated to engage in discussions to prevent an arms race. He labeled China’s and Russia’s refusal to engage in such talks as serious setbacks.
This latest development comes against a backdrop of growing nuclear arsenals recent Pentagon reports suggest that China is expanding its nuclear capabilities at an alarming rate. China is projected to possess over a thousand Warheads by 2030. The U.S. maintains a stockpile of about 3,700 nuclear warheads, with around 1,419 strategic warheads deployed. Russia, meanwhile, has about 1,550 deployed nuclear weapons and a stockpile of approximately 4,489 warheads, according to the Federation of American Scientists. While still trailing behind the US and Russia in numbers China’s rapidly growing Arsenal has become a source of worry for Western Powers. The situation is further Complicated by China’s recent warning to NATO on provoking confrontation over its ties with Russia. AS Global alliances shift and tensions rise, the suspension of these crucial talks threatens to usher in a new era of nuclear uncertainty and potential instability
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