Beijing: China won't join talks on trilateral nuclear disarmament deal

World
Europe

China will not participate in negotiations on any trilateral nuclear disarmament agreement, said Geng Shuang, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, during a regular press conference on Monday.

The U.S. recently raised the possibility of reaching a trilateral arms control deal with Russia and China, according to media reports.

UN Security Council on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons as part of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, September 26, 2018. /VCG Photo

Geng dismissed such a possibility at a press briefing. "China unswervingly follows a path of peaceful development and upholds a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. Our defense spending is reasonable and moderate. Our nuclear forces have been at the lowest level of national security needs and are not on the same scale with the United States and Russia."

"We're opposed to accusations from any country on arms control issues," Geng said. China has always stood for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, he added.

China believes it is imperative for countries with the largest nuclear arsenals to earnestly fulfill their special and prior responsibility in nuclear disarmament in line with the consensus of the international community, and continue to substantially reduce nuclear weapons in a verifiable and irreversible manner, creating conditions for other countries to participate, Geng said.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency