The long-distance confrontation between China and the US continues, in fact, according to what was disclosed on reuters, China has made it known that it would be "happy" to participate in the trilateral negotiations on arms control with the United States and Russia, but only if the United States was willing to reduce its nuclear arsenal back to Chinese level.
This is in response to the invitation made by Washington that has repeatedly asked China to join trilateral negotiations to extend New START, a flagship nuclear weapons treaty between the United States and Russia that is due to expire in February next year.
Fu Cong, head of the Chinese foreign ministry's arms control department, speaking to reporters in Beijing today, reiterated that China has no interest in joining negotiations with former Cold War-era superpowers, given that America's nuclear arsenal is about 20 times larger than China.
"I can assure you that if the US states that it is ready to go down to Chinese level, China would be happy to participate the next day ", he said. "But actually, we know it's not going to happen."
DEPTH:
The New Strategic 'A'rms' R'eduction' T'reaty (New START) is a treaty on the reduction of nuclear weapons signed by the United States and Russia in Prague on April 8, 2010. [3]
This treaty replaces all the previous START I (expired in December 2009), START II and SORT agreements and aims to reduce the limit of nuclear warheads set by the previous SORT agreement by 30%.
As of 2020, it is the only bilateral pact between the United States and Russia and the only treaty still in force on nuclear disarmament.
This treaty sets the following limits for both parties:
- Limit of 1 550 between warheads and nuclear bombs
- Limit of 800 nuclear carriers between Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), Nuclear Submarines Missile Launchers (SLBM) and Heavy Bombers
- 700 nuclear carriers limit between Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), Nuclear Submarines Missile Launchers (SLBM) and Heavy Bombers operating simultaneously
- There is therefore a margin of 100 non-operating nuclear carriers that both sides can hold.
The duration of the treaty is ten years from the date of entry into force, unless it is replaced by a later agreement and can be extended for a further five years at the end. Each party may unilaterally decide to terminate the agreement with three months' notice.
The agreement also defines the procedures for inspecting the sites and provides for a 48-hour notice prior to the deployment of a new carrier.
New START was approved by the U.S. Senate on December 22, 2010.