World’s nuclear weapons club to meet in China as trade talks and Meng Wanzhou extradition deadline loom
- Eyes will be on Beijing, Washington and Vancouver in week of high-stakes diplomatic meetings
China will host a key nuclear weapons meeting in Beijing next week, the outcome of which could affect efforts to stop the spread of nuclear arms around the globe.
The meeting on Wednesday of five major nuclear powers – China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States – will coincide with the start of a new round of high-stakes trade talks between China and the US in Washington.
In Beijing on Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying confirmed “nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy” would be on the agenda of the nuclear club known as the “P5”.
“The theme will be strengthening coordination of the five nuclear-weapon states and safeguarding the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons mechanism,” Hua said.
She said growing instability and uncertainty in the “international security landscape” put “major country relations and responsibilities” in the spotlight.