China Issues Nuclear Statement to US

China has accused the U.S. of undermining nuclear disarmament and should “reflect on its behavior” regarding nonproliferation.

The criticism by the Chinese embassy in the U.S. was in response to a senior White House aide that Washington may have to deploy more strategic nuclear weapons in future to deter the threats of Russia, China and other adversaries.

National Security Council arms control official Pranay Vaddi told the Arms Control Association on Friday that the U.S. may reach a point “in the coming years where an increase from current deployed numbers is required,” Reuters reported.

“We need to be fully prepared to execute if the president makes that decision,” Vaddi said, adding that “more nuclear weapons are required to deter our adversaries and protect the American people and our allies and partners.”

Vaddi said that the U.S. is committed to international arms control and non-proliferation regimes but Russia, China and North Korea “are all expanding and diversifying their nuclear arsenals at a breakneck pace.” Meanwhile, they were “cooperating and coordinating” with Iran that threatens peace and stability.

But an unnamed Chinese embassy representative told the state-run Tass news agency that the comments showed how Washington “is undermining nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime and should stop doing it.”

The Chinese embassy statement said that the U.S. “clings to a first-use nuclear policy, devises nuclear deterrence strategies against others and has invested heavily to upgrade its nuclear triad.”

“It has withdrawn from treaties and organizations concerning arms control, enhanced the NATO nuclear alliance and expanded cooperation with allies on advanced military technologies,” the statement added, according to Tass.

Newsweek has contacted the U.S. State Department for comment.

Beijing’s comments come amid concerns about nuclear warnings against the West issued by China’s ally Russia since the start of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Kremlin and its propagandists have conducted saber rattling threats in which they emphasize Russia’s nuclear weapons capabilities. Last month, Putin announced nuclear drills were taking place in response to the threat he said was posed by the West.

Last week, the Russian ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, warned the NATO member not to underestimate the threat of nuclear war.

The U.S. observes a limit of 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads set out in the 2010 New START treaty with Russia from which Moscow said it had suspended its participation in response to Washington’s support for Ukraine. The State Department has called Moscow’s move “irresponsible and unlawful.”

The U.S. estimates China has 500 operational nuclear warheads which will more than double by 2030 although Beijing has not responded to Washington’s nuclear-weapons risk-reduction proposals, Reuters reported last month.