On Wednesday the United States said it feels sorry about China’s decision to stop bilateral negotiations on nuclear non-proliferation and arms control over Washington’s weapons sales to Taiwan, terming it undermined ‘strategic stability’. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said , ‘That step they have taken is unfortunate’.
Miller said, ‘China has chosen to follow Russia’s lead in declaring that engagement on arms control cannot proceed when there are other challenges in the bilateral relationship’.
He added, ‘We think this approach undermines strategic stability. It increases the risk of arms race dynamics’. The United States and China in November held talks on nuclear arms control, part of a bid to ease mistrust ahead of a summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping.
Since, further dialogue had not been publicly announced, with a White House official in January requesting Beijing to respond to some of our more substantive ideas on risk reduction. Earlier Wednesday, China’s foreign ministry said recent US sales of arms to self-ruled Taiwan were seriously undermining the political atmosphere for continued arms control consultations between the two sides.
‘The United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979 but it has remained Taiwan’s significant partner and biggest arms supplier, sparking repeated condemnations from China. Miller said, ‘Unfortunately, by suspending these consultations, China has chosen not to pursue efforts that would manage strategic risks and prevent costly arms races’.
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