China has announced the suspension of its arms control and non-proliferation consultations with the United States, citing Washington’s continued arms sales to China’s Taiwan region and actions undermining mutual trust. The decision was declared by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.
Lin Jian, spokesperson for the ministry, stated that the responsibility for the suspension “lies squarely on the U.S. side.” He explained that the political atmosphere necessary for ongoing arms control consultations has been undermined by the United States.
“For some time, the U.S. has ignored China’s resolute opposition and repeated representations,” Lin said. “It has continued to engage in arms sales to China’s Taiwan region and taken a series of negative measures that undermine China’s core interests and hurt the mutual trust between the two sides.”
Despite the suspension, China expressed willingness to maintain communication with the United States on international arms control but emphasized that such dialogue must be based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. “The U.S. must respect China’s core interests and create the necessary conditions for dialogue and exchange,” Lin added.
The announcement comes after China and the U.S. held consultations on arms control and non-proliferation in Washington, D.C., in November 2023.
Reference(s):
China suspends arms control, non-proliferation consultations with U.S.
cgtn.com
