China has urged the U.S. to take more serious steps toward reducing its nuclear arsenal and to “abandon its Cold War mentality” after Washington revised its nuclear strategy to focus on the East Asian country, Newsweek reported yesterday following National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s meetings with senior Chinese officials in Beijing earlier. “China firmly opposes the U.S. expanding its nuclear arsenal and shirking responsibilities for nuclear disarmament under the pretext of the nonexistent ‘China nuclear threat,’” spokesperson Wu Qian said yesterday during the Chinese Defense Ministry’s monthly news conference.
China “keeps its nuclear force at the minimum level required for national security,” Wu stressed, pointing out China maintains a no-first-use doctrine for nuclear arms, while the U.S. boasts the world’s largest nuclear stockpile and allows for a first strike. Wu went on to criticize the U.S. for its “double standard on nuclear proliferation.” Wu also cited the country’s development of miniature, or low-yield, warheads being deployed on Ohio-class nuclear submarines.
