US and China to start negotiations on nuclear weapons

Next week, representatives of the United States and China will begin negotiations on nuclear arms control. The Wall Street Journal reported on this with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. On Monday, the two countries will hold "consultations on nuclear arms control and non-proliferation." However, the meeting will not mark the beginning of formal negotiations on setting limits on each side's arsenals.

The purpose of the discussions is to give the Biden administration a better understanding of China's plans and military doctrine after the Pentagon published a report that said the country had significantly increased its nuclear weapons production.

China's Dongfeng-41 self-propelled launcher in Tiananmen Square in Beijing during a military parade in October 2019. Photo credits: Reuters

The US also seeks to stop the trilateral nuclear arms race with Russia and China, especially through negotiations to extend the New Start Treaty, which expires in 2026 and was halted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In June, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that the Biden administration is ready to cooperate with Russia on nuclear arms control but that China's arsenal buildup complicates these efforts.

The arms talks will take place before the meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November.

China's nuclear arms buildup

In October, the Pentagon published its annual report stating that China has over 500 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, which is about 100 more than last year. The U.S. Department of Defense believes that China is likely to double this number to more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030 and that the number is expected to grow.

In addition, the construction of three new silo complexes for 300 new intercontinental ballistic missiles is likely to be completed in 2022. It is noted that "at least some" missiles have already been loaded into the silo complexes. Beijing is rapidly building up its nuclear capabilities.

At the same time, the government emphasizes that the United States already has a much larger arsenal.

China's nuclear arsenal is still much smaller than those of the United States and Russia.

According to the independent Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, as of January, Russia had 5,889 nuclear warheads, while the United States had 5,244.