US and Russia should continue to reduce their nuclear arsenals, China says

CHINA has called on Russia and the United States to continue reducing their nuclear arsenals in a "verifiable, irreversible and legally binding manner", the country's foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday (September 23).

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Russia offered to extend the New START treaty, keeping nuclear limits if the US agrees to do the same.
China welcomed the proposal, calling it a positive step for global arms control and nuclear stability.
Experts warn treaty expiry may spark an arms race, as both nations could expand their strategic arsenals without limits.

Beijing appreciates Moscow's "positive attitude" in offering to extend the New START treaty, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a news briefing, after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday (September 22) offered to voluntarily maintain the limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons set out in the last arms control treaty between the two powers once it expires next year if the U.S. does the same.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Putin's proposal sounded "pretty good", but that U.S. President Donald Trump, who has in the past expressed concern about the treaty's fate, would address the offer himself.

The 2010 New START accord, which expires in February, caps the size of the world's two biggest nuclear arsenals. Many experts fear its expiry could fuel an arms race as both sides boost strategic weapons deployments.