Chinese Envoy: U.S. Threatening Peace of UN Member States with ‘America First’ Policy

Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said yesterday that the United States is threatening the nuclear disarmament process, the peace and well-being of the United Nations member states, and global strategic balance and stability. For the past years, he said, speaking at a high-level UN meeting to mark the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, that the United States has been advocating American exceptionalism and “America First,” pushing for modernization of its nuclear arsenal, and lowering the threshold of using nuclear weapons. Geng noted that 36 years ago, President Ronald Reagan said: “A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.” China, Geng said, hopes his words will never be forgotten, and that China is ready to work with the international community to advance the nuclear disarmament process against all disruptions and difficulties, and work for the ultimate realization of a nuclear-weapons-free world.