“Neither Reasonable Nor Realistic”
News Desk: China has rejected US President Donald Trump’s call to join trilateral nuclear disarmament talks with Washington and Moscow, insisting the world’s two largest nuclear powers must take responsibility first.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said it was “neither reasonable nor realistic” to expect China’s participation, stressing that the US and Russia, which together hold nearly 90% of the world’s nuclear arsenal, should lead the way.
Trump had earlier claimed both Moscow and China were open to negotiations. But China’s sharp response underscores a widening rift over global arms control, especially after Russia pulled out of its last arms treaty with Washington in 2023.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US has 3,708 active nuclear warheads and Russia 4,380, while China’s arsenal stands at 500 — up from 410 in 2023. Britain and France follow with 225 and 290 warheads, respectively.
China reiterated that it maintains its stockpile at the “minimum level” necessary for security and does not seek an arms race.
