China Cautions US on MDS

China hopes that the US act cautiously regarding the MDS issue, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said Friday.

He noted that as the world's strongest military power, the United States insists on the development of its missile defense system (MDS), which is bound to damage the international strategic balance and stability and harm the common security of all countries.

Zhu was asked to comment on U.S. reports that the U.S. government will ask the Chinese side for its support for the U.S. missile defense plan in return for not opposing China's expansion of its nuclear arsenal, and that the U.S. government has issued a statement saying that the report was erroneous.

Saying that the Chinese side has taken note of the contradictory reports, Zhu confirmed that China has always called for complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, never participated in the nuclear arms race and disapproves of the act of seeking a strategic advantage over other countries through a nuclear arms race.

He stressed that China has always exerted the utmost restraint on the development of nuclear weapons, and has always maintained the minimum nuclear arsenal that is needed for self-defense.

China also strictly abides by its commitment to no-first-use of nuclear weapons, and unconditionally no-use of or threat-to-use nuclear weapons to target nuclear-free countries, Zhu added.

China's nuclear force poses no threat to any country, he pointed out.






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