China on Tuesday accused the United States of hypocrisy over nuclear disarmament, urging Washington to reduce its own arsenal before expecting other nuclear-armed states to join global arms control efforts.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian emphasized that the US, as the largest nuclear power, must fulfill its “special and priority responsibility” in disarmament.
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The comments came after a draft Pentagon report indicated that China had likely deployed over 100 DF-31 intercontinental ballistic missiles near Mongolia, while showing little interest in new arms control talks. Lin said similar US claims have previously aimed to justify expanding its own nuclear forces.
According to US analysts, China’s nuclear stockpile reached the low 600s in 2024, and while expansion is slower than past years, projections suggest China could have over 1,000 warheads by 2030. The Pentagon also noted that Beijing is modernizing its forces rapidly, though China maintains a no-first-use policy and insists it does not seek a nuclear arms race.
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The US currently holds approximately 5,177 nuclear warheads. Lin stressed that China’s nuclear strategy remains defensive, and called on the United States to “substantially reduce its nuclear arsenal” to encourage global participation in disarmament processes.