China, Russia, Britain, the United States and France on Monday agreed that a further spread of nuclear arms and a nuclear war should be avoided, according to a joint statement by the five nuclear powers published by the Kremlin.
China on Tuesday however said it will continue to "modernise" its nuclear arsenal and called on the United States and Russia to reduce their stockpiles a day after global powers pledged to prevent such weapons spreading.
The United States, China, Russia, Britain and France, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, had issued a rare joint statement setting aside rising West-East tensions, reaffirmed their goal of creating a world free of atomic weapons and avoiding a nuclear conflict.
"We affirm that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. As nuclear use would have far-reaching consequences, we also affirm that nuclear weapons — for as long as they continue to exist — should serve defensive purposes, deter aggression, and prevent war." the English-language version of the statement read.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said the joint statement could help increase mutual trust and "replace competition among major powers with coordination and cooperation," adding that China has a "no first use" policy on nuclear weapons, state news agency Xinhua reported.
France also released the statement, underscoring that the five powers reiterated their determination for nuclear arms control and disarmament.
"The US and Russia still possess 90 percent of the nuclear war heads on Earth," Fu Cong, director general of the department of arms control at the Chinese foreign ministry, told reporters on Tuesday. China defended its nuclear weapons policy and said Russia and the United States by far the world's largest nuclear powers should make the first move on disarmament.
"China has always adopted the no first use policy and we maintain our nuclear capabilities at the minimal level required for ou national security. We will continue to modernise its nuclear arsenal for reliability and safety issues," he added.
Ties between Beijing and Washington have been strained over a series of issues including China's intentions to reunite independently-governed Taiwan by force if necessary. Fu dismissed speculation over the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons near the Taiwan Strait.
"Nuclear weapons are the ultimate deterrent, they are not for war or fighting," he said.
The joint statement of the five nuclear powers on preventing a nuclear war and avoiding arms races was the initiative of Russia, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement published on Monday. The statement comes as bilateral relations between the United States and Moscow have fallen to their lowest point since the end of the Cold War, while relations between Washington and China are also at a low over a range of disagreements.
The Pentagon in November sharply increased its estimate of China's projected nuclear weapons arsenal over the coming years, saying Beijing could have 700 warheads by 2027 and possibly 1,000 by 2030.
Washington has repeatedly urged China to join it and Russia in a new arms control treaty.
Geopolitical tensions between Moscow and Western countries have increased over concerns about Russia's military buildup near neighbouring Ukraine. Moscow says it can move its army around its own territory as it deems necessary.
Last Thursday U.S. President Joe Biden told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that a possible move on Ukraine would draw sanctions and an increased U.S. presence in Europe.
U.S. and Russian officials will hold security talks on Jan. 10 to discuss concerns about their respective military activity and confront rising tensions over Ukraine, the two countries said.
A conference on a major nuclear treaty that was set to begin on Tuesday at the United Nations has been postponed until August due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
with inputs from AFP, Reuters