China on Tuesday called on the United States to fulfil its nuclear disarmament responsibilities following a draft Pentagon report that raised concerns about Beijing’s expanding missile capabilities. The issue has renewed global debate over nuclear stability at a time of rising geopolitical tensions.
Speaking at a regular press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the United States carries special and priority responsibility for nuclear disarmament. He said this responsibility comes from Washington’s position as the world’s largest nuclear power with the biggest nuclear arsenal.
Lin urged the US to take concrete steps by substantially reducing its nuclear stockpile. He said meaningful reductions would help create conditions for other nuclear-armed states to participate in the disarmament process. According to China, progress must begin with countries holding the largest number of warheads.
The comments followed a draft Pentagon report seen by Reuters, which claimed that China had likely loaded more than 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles in silo fields near the Mongolian border. The report said these were solid-fuel DF-31 missiles and suggested that Beijing showed little interest in arms control discussions.
The Pentagon report also stated that US officials continue to see no clear willingness from China to engage in broader arms control talks. This assessment added to long-standing concerns in Washington about Beijing’s military modernisation.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a US-based research group, has also warned about China’s nuclear expansion. The organisation said China is modernising its nuclear forces faster than any other nuclear-armed country, increasing global security concerns.
Lin said he was not familiar with the specific Pentagon report. However, he rejected what he described as repeated exaggerations from the United States. He said such claims are often used to justify America’s own nuclear modernisation and actions that undermine global strategic stability.
According to the Pentagon report, China’s nuclear warhead stockpile stood in the low 600s in 2024. The report noted that production had slowed compared to earlier years. However, it projected that China could have more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.
In comparison, the United States is estimated to possess around 5,177 nuclear warheads, highlighting the imbalance cited by Beijing. US President Donald Trump recently signalled interest in possible denuclearisation efforts involving China and Russia.
In other related news also read China Expresses Concern Over Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions
China responded by reaffirming its nuclear policy. Lin said China follows a strict no-first-use doctrine and maintains its nuclear forces purely for self-defence. He added that China does not seek a nuclear arms race and remains committed to maintaining global strategic stability.
