China urges US to ‘reflect’ on nuclear arms policy
- Beijing tells Russian state media that Washington should ‘act responsibly’ after official says America may need to think about a bigger arsenal
China has suggested the United States should “reflect” on its behaviour and reduce its nuclear arsenal after a senior official said Washington may need more warheads.
Pranay Vaddi, senior director for arms control disarmament and non-proliferation at the National Security Council, recently warned that Russia, China and North Korea were expanding their nuclear arsenals at a “breakneck pace” and showed “little or no interest in arms control”.
“Absent a change in the trajectory of the adversary arsenal, we may reach a point in the coming years where an increase from current deployed numbers is required,” he told an annual forum organised by the Arms Control Association, a group advocating limits on nuclear weapons.
“If that day comes, it will result in a determination that more nuclear weapons are required to deter our adversaries and protect the American people and our allies and partners.”
China responded by telling the Russian state news agency Tass: “The US needs to reflect on its behaviour and commit itself to doing the right thing.
“The US should reduce the role of nuclear weapons in national and collective security policies and act responsibly for the welfare of the world.