Washington Says Beijing’s Decision to Suspend Nuclear Arms-Control Talks ‘Undermines Strategic Stability’

China's DF-41 nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles are seen during a military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

The U.S. State Department has said Beijing’s decision to halt nascent nuclear arms-control talks with Washington was “unfortunate,” as it increases the risk of an arms race.

“We think this approach undermines strategic stability. It increases the risk of arms race dynamics. We have made efforts to bolster the defense of our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, and we will continue to make those efforts in the face of Chinese threats to their security,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a press briefing on July 17.

“Unfortunately, by suspending these consultations, China has chosen not to pursue efforts that would manage strategic risks and prevent costly arms races. But we, the United States, will remain open to developing and implementing concrete risk-reduction measures with China,” he added.

The Chinese foreign ministry said on July 17 that Beijing suspended discussions with the United States “on a new round of consultations on arms control and non-proliferation” in a protest of recent U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory.

Last month, the State Department approved the $300 million sale of spare parts for F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan, along with a $360 million package for the anti-armor loitering missile system and unmanned aerial vehicles​, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

The Chinese decision comes just over a month after Washington said the United States may have to deploy more strategic nuclear weapons to deter growing threats from Chinese and Russian arsenals.

Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association advocacy group, said the United States, Russia, and China are legally bound as signatories of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty–the cornerstone of global arms control–to “engage in talks to prevent the arms race.”

“The only way they can accomplish that is through serious dialogue, and Russia’s refusal to do so and China’s decision to do so are very serious setbacks,” he told Reuters.

“China has chosen to follow Russia’s lead in asserting that engagement on arms control can’t proceed when there are other challenges in the bilateral relationship,” Mr. Miller said.

U.S. and Chinese officials met in Washington to resume nuclear and arms control discussions in November 2023. The meeting was the first arms control talk between Washington and Beijing in over four years.

China Expands Nuclear Arsenal

China has increased its nuclear stockpile from 410 to 500 warheads between January 2023 and January 2024, according to an annual arms report published in June by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The report noted that the Chinese regime is significantly expanding and modernizing its nuclear arsenal at a pace that might lead to having more intercontinental ballistic missiles than the United States or Russia in the next decade.

A Pentagon report estimated that China had over 500 operational nuclear warheads as of May 2023. The Pentagon also projected that Beijing might have more than 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030, with further military growth expected through 2035.

However, China’s total nuclear stockpile remains much smaller than those of the United States and Russia. By comparison, as of January 2024, the United States had 5,044 warheads, including 1,770 ones deployed; and Russia had 5,580 warheads with 1,710 deployed, according to the SIPRI report.

Taiwan Arms Sales

The United States has had no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan since Washington switched its diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979.

However, Washington and Taipei have a robust relationship under the Taiwan Relations Act. This law authorizes the United States to provide the democratically governed island with military equipment for self-defense.

In recent years, Washington has significantly increased its arms sales and military aid to Taiwan as part of its strategy to bolster the island’s defense capabilities amid rising tensions with China. Taiwan has signed arms contracts worth billions with the United States, including the latest-generation F-16V fighter jets and Patriot Missile Defense Systems.

In 2022, Taiwan’s defense ministry announced one of the biggest arms deals in recent years: It agreed to buy 100 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, 60 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and other military equipment from the United States, totaling $1.1 billion.

In April, President Joe Biden signed into law a $95 billion military aid package that includes about $2 billion in foreign military financing for Taiwan and other allies in the Indo-Pacific region to support them in “confronting Chinese aggression.”

Reuters contributed to this report.