This text has been automatically translated, it may contain errors or inaccuracies.

Nuclear competition

Favorite
Remove from my list

China has declared that it will not participate in nuclear negotiations after the expiry of the START III treaty

The Asian giant says its nuclear capabilities are not comparable to those of the United States or Russia. The White House denounces that China has significantly increased its nuclear capabilities.

(Foto de ARCHIVO)

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 30, 2025  -- UN Security Council holds an emergency meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on Dec. 29, 2025. China firmly opposes Israel's recognition of Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, as a sovereign state, said Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, on Monday.



Europa Press/Contacto/Zhang Fengguo

29/12/2025

Image of the UN Security Committee. Photo: Europa Press

Following the expiry of the START III treaty in the last few hours, China has declared that it will not participate in nuclear negotiations for the time being. It has expressed its position at the UN Disarmament Conference in response to the US's willingness to participate in negotiations for a new nuclear weapons control treaty.

"China's nuclear capabilities are by no means comparable to those of the United States or Russia, so China will not participate in nuclear disarmament negotiations at this time," said Chinese Deputy Ambassador Jian Shen at the UN's European headquarters in Geneva .

United States requests

From the point of view of the Chinese Government, the States with the largest nuclear arsenals must "assume their responsibilities in relation to nuclear disarmament", with the responsibility of making significant reductions in their arsenals. They have stated that they should proceed with this process in a manner that is mandatory and confirmed.

China has also lamented the suspension of the START III treaty, which they consider to be of great importance for maintaining global nuclear stability.

"We know that Russia has proposed that Russia and the United States continue to comply with the main limits of the treaty, and we urge the United States to respond positively,  and resume the strategic security dialogue with Russia soon," he said.

AMERICA'S ACCUSATIONS

The US has also denounced that China has greatly increased its nuclear capacity by hiding it from the rest of the world, and Shen has replied that it is a "false narrative."

"The United States is guilty of aggravating its arms career by investing billions of dollars in developing new nuclear weapons," he said.

You might like

Paris (FRA), 17/04/2026.- (L-R) Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, France's President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz give a joint statement after an international summit to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, 17 April 2026. (Francia, Reino Unido) EFE/EPA/MICHEL EULER / POOL MAXPPP OUT
18:00 - 20:00
LIVE
From  min.

The EU says the opening of Ormuz is good news but insists that travel must be free

"The imposition of tolls for transit would set a dangerous precedent," said the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas. On the other hand, in the context of the crisis and convened by France and the United Kingdom, 50 countries and international organizations have met in Paris. They have announced the launch of a "neutral" maritime mission to "assist and protect" ships passing through the Persian Gulf.

Load more