U.S. nuclear posture review deviates from peace, development: Chinese Foreign Ministry

The U.S. 2018 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) holds Cold War mentality, plays the zero-sum game, and deviates from peace and development, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Monday.

The document released by the U.S. Department of Defense recently has been considered as the guiding principle for the future U.S. policy seeking enhanced nuclear deterrence.

Geng Shuang, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

The Pentagon document focused on geopolitics and competition between major countries, stressed the role of nuclear weapons in security policies, and disregarded the call for nuclear disarmament, said Geng Shuang, the spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry at a regular news briefing.

Referring to the fact that the United States owns the world's largest and most advanced nuclear arsenal, Geng said the U.S. move to increase its nuclear power would lead to a global strategic imbalance.

If the United States dropped the goal of protecting nuclear-free states, it would harm the process of the international nuclear disarmament, Geng said.

He said China actively promotes the building of a community of shared future and supports security views featuring cooperation and sustainable development.

China supports and advocates complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, Geng said, adding that China adheres to the policy of no-first-use and undertakes not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against countries and regions without nuclear power.

China has never and will not participate in any form of nuclear arms race, and the above policies have remained unchanged since China first possessed nuclear weapons half a century ago, he said.

Any attempt to distort China's policies so as to make excuses for the expanding of the U.S. nuclear arsenal will be in vain, Geng said.

"We hope the U.S. side can abandon the outdated notions of Cold War mentality and the zero-sum game, bear its special role in nuclear disarmament, and take concrete action on global peace and stability," he said.