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In protest over US military shipments to Taiwan, China has terminated nuclear non-proliferation and arms control negotiations with the US
The US called Beijing’s Wednesday decision “unfortunate,” while analysts said it could potentially derail global arms-control efforts.
In January, a White House official urged Beijing to reply “to some of our more substantive ideas on risk reduction” without announcing more conversation.
A spokeswoman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday that US military sales to Taiwan had “seriously compromised the political atmosphere for continuing the arms-control consultations”.
Chinese spokesperson Lin Jian told a routine news briefing in Beijing that the Chinese side has decided to postpone a fresh round of weapons control and non-proliferation negotiations with the US.
He stated, “The responsibility fully lies with the US.”
Lin added that China would continue arms control talks, but the US “must respect China’s core interests and create necessary conditions for dialogue and exchange”.
China repeatedly criticizes the US for remaining Taiwan’s primary partner and military supplier after switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
Taiwan has opposed increasing Chinese military action near the island for four years, including daily warplane and cruiser flights.
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