China Will Not Tolerate Blackmail on Joining INF Treaty

China will not tolerate blackmail in any form on the issue of the need for Beijing to join the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty and urges the United States to think carefully before making any decision on the withdrawal from the agreement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

"We have paid attention to the relevant statement made by US President Donald Trump and his adviser John Bolton regarding China in the context of the INF treaty … China has always adhered to the defensive nature of its national defense policy and protects its own state interests. China will not tolerate any blackmail from any country," Hua Chunying said.

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The spokeswoman stressed that China recommended the United States not to go against the tide and think twice before making any decision on the issue.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump said that China should be part of the INF treaty.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced the country's exit from the INF treaty over alleged Russian violations of the agreement.

The INF Treaty was signed in 1987 by former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev and then-US President Ronald Reagan, who agreed to destroy all cruise or ground-launched ballistic missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers (310 and 3,400 miles).

Russia and the US have repeatedly accused each other of violating the treaty.