Zhao Lijian: In recent years, the US has been hyping up various versions of the “China threat”narrative simply to find pretext for expanding its nuclear arsenal and perpetuating military predominance. The world knows well that this is a go-to tactic of the US.
China’s nuclear policy is consistent and clear. We follow a self-defensive nuclear strategy. We stick to the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons. We have exercised utmost restraint in developing nuclear capabilities. We have kept those capabilities at the minimum level required by national security. We are never part of any form of arms race.
The US has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world. It has in recent years kept upgrading its “nuclear triad”, and strengthening the role of nuclear weapons in its national security policies. To this day, the US still clings to a nuclear deterrence policy based on first use of nuclear weapons, and openly devises nuclear deterrence strategies against particular countries. The US is engaged in nuclear submarine cooperation with the UK and Australia, which violates the object and purposes of the NPT. Our suggestion is to go through the recent reports issued by the US itself to read for yourselves what it has done and will do next on the nuclear front.
What the US should do is to seriously reflect on its nuclear policy, abandon the Cold-War mentality and hegemonic logic, stop disrupting global strategic stability, step up to its special and primary responsibilities in nuclear disarmament, and further take substantial and substantive cuts to its nuclear arsenal, so as to create conditions for attaining the ultimate goal of complete and thorough nuclear disarmament.
