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China Suspends Nuclear Arms Talks with US Amid Taiwan Dispute

Thursday 18 July 2024 - 14:30

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China has taken a significant step by halting discussions on nuclear non-proliferation and arms control with the United States, citing Washington’s arms sales to Taiwan as the primary reason. This move has been labeled "unfortunate" by the US and is viewed by analysts as a severe blow to global arms-control efforts.

The nuclear weapons dialogue between China and the US commenced in November, aiming to reduce tensions ahead of a summit between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden. Since then, no further talks had been publicized, with a White House official in January urging China to respond to substantive proposals on risk reduction.

A spokesperson from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Wednesday that the US’s arms sales to Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, have "seriously compromised the political atmosphere for continuing the arms-control consultations." The responsibility, according to the spokesperson, lies entirely with the US.

China has indicated its willingness to maintain communication on international arms control but insists that the US must respect China’s core interests and create the necessary conditions for dialogue.

Despite switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, the US has continued to be Taiwan’s most crucial partner and largest arms supplier, prompting repeated condemnations from China. In recent years, Taiwan has protested against increased Chinese military activity near the island, which includes frequent missions by Chinese warplanes and warships.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller criticized China’s decision, accusing Beijing of emulating Russia by asserting that arms-control engagement cannot proceed amid other bilateral challenges. The Biden administration advocates a policy of "compartmentalization," aiming to separate nuclear arms control talks from other contentious issues in Sino-US relations.

This decision by China follows a recent statement from the Biden administration indicating that the US might need to deploy more strategic nuclear weapons to counter the growing threats from Chinese and Russian arsenals.

Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, emphasized the importance of dialogue for preventing an arms race. As signatories of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, the US, Russia, and China are legally bound to engage in such talks. Kimball described the refusal by Russia and the decision by China to halt these discussions as serious setbacks.

Currently, the US has a stockpile of about 3,700 nuclear warheads, with roughly 1,419 strategic nuclear warheads deployed. Russia has approximately 1,550 deployed nuclear weapons and a stockpile of 4,489 nuclear warheads, according to the Federation of American Scientists. Meanwhile, US estimates suggest that China has 500 operational nuclear warheads, a number expected to surpass 1,000 by 2030.

US officials have expressed frustration over Beijing's lack of interest in discussing nuclear risk reduction measures, while China maintains that the US already possesses a significantly larger nuclear arsenal.