#China #NuclearThreat #JoeBiden #USForeignPolicy #NuclearWar #Disarmament #NuclearArsenal #USChinaRelations
In a recent development that has heightened tensions between the United States and China, Beijing has vocally criticized President Joe Biden for what it perceives as the promotion of a narrative that portrays China as a nuclear threat. This criticism comes in the wake of a report by the New York Times, revealing that President Biden has secretly approved a new nuclear strategic plan aimed at preparing the United States for a potential simultaneous nuclear conflict with Russia, China, and North Korea. The strategic doctrine, reportedly activated in March, signals a shift in U.S. military preparedness towards a more multi-front approach to nuclear deterrence, examining the nation’s readiness to respond to nuclear crises that may occur in tandem or sequentially, leveraging a mixture of nuclear and non-nuclear capabilities.
China, through its Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, expressed serious concerns about the United States’ actions and the narrative it promotes. Mao Ning accused the U.S. of using the so-called China nuclear threat as an excuse to seek strategic advantages, thereby escalating tensions rather than focusing on disarmament and de-escalation efforts. Mao Ning further emphasized China’s stance on nuclear weapons, reiterating the country’s no-first-use policy and its commitment to maintaining its nuclear arsenal at the minimum level necessary for national security, outrightly denying any intentions of engaging in an arms race.
The diplomatic friction is further inflamed by China’s critique of the United States’ nuclear policies, particularly pointing out the U.S.’s possession of the largest and most advanced nuclear arsenal globally and its adherence to a nuclear deterrence policy premised on the first use of nuclear weapons. Such statements underscore the contrasting approaches between the two nations towards nuclear capability and deterrence. While the U.S. nuclear strategy, which is updated periodically and remains highly classified, aims at ensuring readiness for complex nuclear scenarios, China positions itself as a restrained nuclear power, focusing on defense and no-first-use.
Notably, despite the increasing tensions and rhetoric, the facts underscore a significant disparity in nuclear capabilities between the two nations. According to the State Department, the United States possesses 5,748 nuclear warheads, including those retired and awaiting dismantlement, contrasting with China’s arsenal, which, though rapidly expanding, remains substantially smaller than that of the U.S. and Russia. These developments highlight not only the ongoing strategic recalibrations by major world powers in response to shifting global dynamics but also the critical need for dialogue and engagement to prevent the escalation of nuclear tensions and promote disarmament efforts.
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