Chinese defense ministry urges U.S. to substantively reduce its nuclear arsenal

BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Thursday urged the United States to reduce its nuclear arsenal substantively, cease its proliferation of nuclear materials and technology, and refrain from extending nuclear deterrence or expanding a nuclear alliance.

Wu Qian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said that China firmly opposes the United States' expansion of its nuclear arsenal and shirking of its nuclear disarmament responsibilities under the pretext of a non-existent "China nuclear threat."

China pursues a self-defense nuclear strategy and maintains its nuclear force at the minimum level required for national security, Wu said.

It is common knowledge that the U.S. is in possession of the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, and that it follows a nuclear policy that permits the first use of nuclear weapons, he said.

In recent years, the U.S. has invested heavily in the miniaturization of nuclear weapons for real combat and exercised double standards on nuclear proliferation, which is a severe threat to global strategic stability, he said.