China suspends nuclear talks with the US over arms deliveries to Taiwan, Washington hits back

On July 17, China announced the suspension of negotiations with the United States on nuclear non-proliferation and arms control. This decision was taken in response to Washington’s recent arms sales to Taiwan, a move the Chinese government considers a provocation.

The US and China held rare talks on nuclear arms control in November to ease mutual mistrust ahead of a planned summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping. The State Department expressed disappointment at China’s decision to suspend the negotiations, calling it “regrettable”.

After the first talks on nuclear arms control in November, no further dialogue was publicly announced. In January, a White House official called on Beijing to engage more substantively on proposals to reduce the risks associated with nuclear weapons.

However, on July 17, China’s Foreign Ministry said recent US arms sales to Taiwan had significantly undermined the political environment for ongoing arms control consultations between the two countries. This stance reflects China’s firm opposition to US military support for Taiwan, which it views as a breakaway province.

“The United States has continued its arms sales to Taiwan and taken a series of negative measures that seriously damage China’s core interests and undermine mutual political trust,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian. “For these reasons, China has decided to suspend negotiations with the United States on a new round of arms control and non-proliferation consultations,” he added.

In 1979, the United States officially shifted its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing and recognized the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the legitimate government of China. Despite this diplomatic adjustment, the United States maintained a stable relationship with Taiwan and was its most important partner and main supplier of military equipment. This enduring alliance was repeatedly condemned by China.

In June, Washington approved two arms sales to Taiwan with a total value of around $300 million. These were mainly spare and repair parts for Taiwan’s F-16 fighter jet fleet.

In a report commissioned by Congress last October, the U.S. Department of Defense revealed that China’s development of its nuclear arsenal is progressing faster than the U.S. previously estimated. China is expected to have 500 operational nuclear warheads by May 2023, and projections suggest it could have 1,000 by 2030.

By comparison, the US currently has about 3,700 nuclear warheads, slightly less than Russia’s estimated stockpile of about 4,500 warheads, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). China’s current nuclear arsenal is estimated by SIPRI at 410 warheads, highlighting the significant gap between China and the US and Russia in terms of nuclear capabilities.

In response to China’s decision to suspend arms control talks, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller criticized Beijing and suggested that China was aligning its stance with Russia’s approach of linking arms control to broader bilateral challenges. Miller called China’s decision regrettable and stressed that such actions undermine strategic stability and increase the risk of escalating arms competition.

Meanwhile, Lin Jian of the Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated that China remains open to talks with the US on international arms control issues, provided there is mutual respect. However, Lin stressed that the US must respect China’s core interests and create favorable conditions for meaningful dialogue.

Image source: The Economic Times