China’s secrecy on nuclear arms a ‘threat to stability’, US says, urging Beijing to join talks with Russia

The United States urged China on Tuesday to join trilateral nuclear arms talks with Russia, calling Beijing’s secrecy around growing stockpiles a “serious threat to strategic stability”.

US President Donald Trump said last year he had discussed a new accord on limiting nuclear arms with Russian President Vladimir Putin and hoped to extend that to China in what would be a major deal between the globe’s top three atomic powers. But China has so far refused to take part.

“We think, given the fact that China’s nuclear stockpile is estimated to double over the next 10 years, now is the time to have that trilateral discussion,” Robert Wood, US disarmament ambassador, told reporters on the opening day of the UN-backed Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

He said that Washington had discussed the potential trilateral talks in a security meeting with Russia last week and had reached an “understanding” about pursuing them. “We cannot afford to wait,” he added.

Asked how to go about pressuring Beijing to join, Wood said that he hoped Moscow, and others, would help.

“Hopefully over time and through the influence of others besides the United States, they [China] will come to the table. We think it’s imperative for global security that the Chinese do that.”