China Rejects U.S. Demand for Trilateral Nuclear Disarmament Talks
By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa
China has officially rejected a call from the United States to participate in trilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations that would include Russia.
This refusal follows a recent demand from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who insisted that any modern arms control deal must involve Beijing.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning addressed the proposal during a press briefing in Beijing. She stated that it is currently “neither fair, reasonable, nor realistic” to expect China to join these specific high-level talks.
The primary reason cited by the Chinese government is the massive disparity in nuclear stockpiles. Mao Ning emphasized that China’s nuclear forces are not in the same league as the “massive nuclear arsenals” currently maintained by the U.S. and Russia.
Beijing maintains that the United States bears a “special and primary responsibility” to lead on global disarmament. China argues that Washington should focus on making substantive cuts to its own arsenal before demanding others follow suit.
China also accused the U.S. of using the “China threat” as a strategic pretext. They claim this rhetoric is being used to justify increased U.S. military deployment in the Asia-Pacific region, which they say undermines regional peace.
In her response, Mao Ning underscored that China follows a policy of “no first use” and maintains its nuclear strength at the minimum level required for national security. She insisted that China does not intend to engage in an arms race with any country.
Addressing the U.S. demand directly, the spokesperson said, “China’s nuclear forces are not in the same league as those of the US and Russia. It is neither fair, reasonable, nor realistic to ask China to join the nuclear disarmament negotiations at this stage.”
The rejection highlights the ongoing tension between the world’s major powers regarding global security. As the Trump administration reviews its strategic options, China continues to push back against trilateral frameworks that it views as inherently imbalanced.
