China stated on Friday that the United States should take the initiative in reducing nuclear weapons and military spending, following President Trump's proposal for discussions with China and Russia on these matters.
During a press briefing on Thursday in the Oval Office, President Trump expressed his desire to engage in talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the reduction of nuclear weapons. He remarked, “There’s no reason for us to be building brand-new nuclear weapons,” citing the extensive existing arsenals capable of widespread destruction.
In response, Guo Jiakun, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, characterized China as a comparatively smaller nuclear power relative to the United States. He emphasized the responsibilities of the U.S. and Russia, stating, “As countries with the largest nuclear arsenals, the United States and Russia should earnestly fulfill their special priority responsibilities for nuclear disarmament.”
Mr. Guo also highlighted that the United States possesses the largest military budget globally and should lead by example in reducing military expenditures.
The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that China has over 600 nuclear warheads, with projections of exceeding 1,000 by 2030. In contrast, both the United States and Russia have more than 5,000 nuclear warheads each.
Since its first atomic bomb test in 1964, China has maintained a “no first use” policy regarding nuclear strikes, asserting it will only respond to a nuclear attack. However, the expansion and diversification of China's nuclear arsenal have raised concerns among U.S. policymakers about China's commitment to this policy, as it provides Beijing with enhanced deterrence capabilities.
China has been reluctant to engage in nuclear arms discussions with the U.S., preferring to modernize and expand its arsenal before committing to any controls. Despite this, Mr. Guo affirmed China's willingness to collaborate with all parties to promote multilateral arms control through the United Nations.
While Mr. Guo did not specifically respond to President Trump's suggestion of halving military spending, he indicated that China's military budget is relatively modest compared to that of the United States.
Some Chinese analysts suggested that President Trump should consider adopting a “no first use” nuclear policy instead of solely focusing on arms control. Zhou Bo, a retired senior colonel in the People's Liberation Army, emphasized that the immediate priority in nuclear disarmament should be to prevent the first use of nuclear weapons, particularly in light of ongoing global tensions such as those in Ukraine.