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Enoch Wong

China’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday it was “neither reasonable nor realistic” for Beijing to join trilateral nuclear disarmament talks reportedly discussed between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Trump told reporters on Monday that Washington and Moscow were discussing ways to reduce their nuclear arsenals, adding that he hoped Beijing would also join the process.
On Wednesday, foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun rejected the proposal.
“Demanding that China join China-US-Russia trilateral nuclear disarmament talks is neither reasonable nor realistic,” he said.
Trump’s push for trilateral negotiations followed his summit with Putin on August 15 in Alaska, where nuclear arms control featured.
Addressing the media at the Oval Office, Trump said: “One of the things we’re trying to do with Russia and with China is denuclearisation, and it’s very important.
“Russia is willing to do it, and I think China is going to be willing to do it too,” he added.
The timing is particularly significant as the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New Start) – the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the US and Russia – expires on February 5 next year. The treaty limits both countries to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads each.
Trump’s proposal faces further complications as Russia has signalled that it would want Britain and France’s nuclear arsenals included in any future talks, potentially broadening the framework to five nations. With New Start’s expiration approaching and no successor agreement in sight, the prospects for renewed arms control appear increasingly uncertain.


Guo stressed that China and the US operated with fundamentally different nuclear capabilities and policies.
“China’s nuclear strength is by no means on the same level as that of the US,” he said, noting that “our nuclear policy and strategic security environment are also completely different”.
Guo reiterated China’s long-standing nuclear doctrine, which is centred around three core principles: a no-first-use pledge, maintaining nuclear forces at the minimum level required for national security, and refusing to engage in arms races with other nations.
“Countries possessing the largest nuclear stockpiles must diligently fulfil their unique responsibilities regarding nuclear disarmament,” Guo said, placing the burden on Washington and Moscow to lead reductions given their dominant arsenals.
The disparity in stockpiles underscores Beijing’s argument. Russia holds about 5,580 nuclear warheads and the United States around 5,044, while China has an estimated 600-plus warheads, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The figure for China marked an increase from about 500 last year.
Even if China meets projections of 1,500 warheads by 2035, its arsenal would still represent only about a third of the existing US or Russian totals.
Beijing’s doctrine of “minimum deterrence” contrasts with American and Russian postures, which allow for first use under certain circumstances and keep weapons at higher states of readiness. China stores its warheads separately from delivery systems and does not maintain them on high alert, while urging all nuclear-armed states to adopt a no-first-use policy.


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Beijing says the idea, reportedly discussed during Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, is ‘neither reasonable nor realistic’


Beijing says the idea, reportedly discussed during Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, is ‘neither reasonable nor realistic’.


China rejects Trump proposal to join US-Russia nuclear disarmament talks

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Beijing says the idea, reportedly discussed during Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, is ‘neither reasonable nor realistic’

Beijing says the idea, reportedly discussed during Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, is ‘neither reasonable nor realistic’