UK national security adviser warns of risk of miscalculating into nuclear war with China, Russia
- Stephen Lovegrove calls for better communication between the West and China and Russia in a ‘dangerous new age of proliferation’
- Britain and its allies have ‘clear concerns’ about China’s nuclear modernisation programme
In a speech to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Lovegrove said the world is entering a “dangerous new age of proliferation”, where technological advancements are increasing the potential damage of weapons and making those weapons systems more widely available.
Britain and its allies have “clear concerns” about China’s nuclear modernisation programme, which will increase both the number and types of nuclear weapon systems in its arsenal, Lovegrove said.
“During the Cold War, we benefited from a series of negotiations and dialogues that improved our understanding of Soviet doctrine and capabilities – and vice versa,” Lovegrove said in the speech delivered virtually to the American think tank.
“This gave us both a higher level of confidence that we would not miscalculate our way into nuclear war. Today, we do not have the same foundations with others who may threaten us in the future – particularly with China.”
02:31
Taiwan president oversees annual military drill amid tensions with Beijing
Many of the existing arms control agreements are “designed for a world that no longer exists”, created for a “bipolar conflict” and not providing coverage of “dangerous new and emerging technologies”.