US N-STRATEGY DRAWS FIRE
washington told to reduce its own much larger nuclear arsenal
China has always kept its own nuclear forces at the minimum level required by national security while the US has the world’s largest nuclear arsenal. China’s foreign ministry Donald Trump US President the strategy develops capabilities aimed at making use of nuclear weapons less likely. it enhances deterrence of attacks against our nation, our allies, that may not come in the form of nuclear weapons.
The new nuclear policy realeased by the Pentagaon drew sharp rebuke from a number of nations including Iran, China, Russia and North Korea. The latest Nuclear Posture Review published by the Pentagon called for a larger arsenal of smaller, low-yield nuclear weapons to act as a more “credible” deterrent to threats, particularly from Russia.
Reacting to it, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the United States’ new nuclear policy brings humanity “closer to annihilation”.
Zarif said the new policy was “in violation” of the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). “The US Nuclear Posture Review reflects greater reliance on nukes in violation of the #NPT, bringing humankind closer to annihilation,” Zarif said on Twitter.
Zarif said the same impulse was driving the United States to undermine the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which President Donald Trump has demanded be renegotiated.
“Trump’s obduracy in killing the #JCPOA stems from the same dangerous imprudence,” Zarif wrote, using the technical name for the nuclear deal. The NPT, which came into force in 1970 and has been signed by almost all countries including the United States, calls on nations “to achieve at the earliest possible date the cessation of the nuclear arms race and to undertake measures in the direction of nuclear disarmament”.
Iran’s nuclear deal, reached with six world powers, lifted some international sanctions in exchange for curbs to its nuclear programme.
Also on Sunday, China said it is “firmly opposed” to the United States’ new nuclear weapons policy statement, describing its speculation about Chinese intentions as “wild guesses”.
The report says China has added new types of nuclear capabilities — ranging from a mobile intercontinental ballistic missile to a new ballistic missile submarine — “with little to no transparency into its intentions”. The report makes “wild guesses” about China’s intentions and exaggerates the threat of its nuclear force, defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said in a statement. China is “firmly opposed to this”, Ren added.
China “has always kept its own nuclear forces at the minimum level required by national security”, Ren said, pointing out that the US has the world’s largest nuclear arsenal.
Since taking office in 2012 President Xi Jinping has pushed for a muscular China, including calls last October to develop a “worldclass” military by 2050.
China’s neighbours have watched warily as the People’s Liberation Army has upgraded its arsenal with increasingly sophisticated weaponry and sought to create a more effective and professional fighting force.
Moscow also denounced the “bellicose” and “anti-Russian” nature of new US nuclear policy, warning it would take necessary measures to ensure its own security.
“The bellicose and anti-Russian nature of this document is obvious,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that it was “deeply disappointed”.
“We must take into account the approaches that are now circulating in Washington and take necessary measures to ensure our security,” the ministry said.
The United States already has a massive nuclear arsenal, including 150 B-61 nukes stored across multiple European countries that can be configured for low-yield options.
The new weapons envisioned by the Pentagon would be launchable from submarines or ships, so would not need to be stockpiled in Europe. Moscow also said the move was “an attempt to put into question (Russia’s) right to legitimate defence”.
“We hope that Washington is conscious of the high level of danger,” the new policy represents, it said.
The document is filled “with all sorts of anti-Russian cliches” and “ends with unfounded allegations” that Russia has breached agreements on arms control.—