China Nuclear Buildup Spurs U.S. to Seek Talks With Beijing

China’s Nuclear Buildup Prompts U.S. to Seek Dialog With Beijing

19 Nov 2021, 04:33 AM IST

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. is seeking ways to discuss issues of “strategic stability” with China, according to White House officials, as concerns mount in Washington over Beijing’s burgeoning nuclear arsenal.

President Joe Biden raised the need for conversations on the issue during his virtual summit this week with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said during an event at the Brookings Institution on Tuesday.

Any discussions would take place between officials from the two governments, but wouldn’t be formal arms-control talks of the kind that the U.S. has with Russia, a spokesman for the National Security Council said Wednesday. The person, who asked not to be identified discussing internal planning, said representatives from the two countries would need to be empowered by their home governments in order to make the talks meaningful.

In the past, U.S. representatives have expressed frustration that lower-level talks with China have been unproductive. Beijing has brushed back Washington’s calls for arms talks, arguing that its estimated 350 warheads represent a fraction of the American and Russian stockpiles of some 4,000.

The discussions will be part of a broader effort to establish what Biden has called “guardrails” in Washington’s relationship with Beijing, according to the official. In recent years, the two powers have clashed over everything from Taiwan and the South China Sea to technology, espionage and human rights.

The effort comes after a Pentagon report released this month said China is expanding its nuclear weapons capabilities more rapidly than previously believed. It also follows comments by the U.S.’s top uniformed military officer, General Mark Milley, who warned last month that China’s test of hypersonic systems -- including one that was launched into orbit -- was close to a “Sputnik moment” for America.

China maintains that its nuclear arsenal is intended only to deter and respond to a nuclear attack. Chinese arms control officials argue that that “no-first-use” policy makes its less of a threat to other nations.