China Calls on the United States to Take the Lead in Meaningful Nuclear Weapons Reduction as Its Primary Obligation

Summary

A Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, responded sharply to recent U.S. accusations that China conducted concealed underground nuclear tests in 2020, dismissing the claims as deliberate distortions and misinformation designed to mislead the international community. Colonel Jiang reaffirmed China's longstanding nuclear doctrine, which is rooted in self-defense principles, a strict no-first-use policy, and a pledge never to use or threaten nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states or nuclear-weapon-free zones. China maintains that it keeps its nuclear capabilities at the absolute minimum necessary for national security and does not participate in any arms race with other nations. In contrast, China accused the United States of aggressively pursuing absolute strategic superiority by withdrawing from key arms control treaties, heavily investing in nuclear triad modernization, proposing the "Golden Dome" missile defense system, deploying intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific, allowing the New START treaty to expire, and applying inconsistent standards on nuclear non-proliferation. Beijing argued that these cumulative U.S. actions have seriously destabilized global strategic balance and called on Washington to fulfill its primary responsibility by making substantial, verifiable reductions to its nuclear arsenal.