Beijing Opposes Inflating of NATO's Idea of Nuclear Threat From China

BEIJING (Sputnik) - Beijing has taken exception to the constant inflating of NATO's theory of a nuclear threat from China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday.

"China expresses serious concern and resolutely opposes NATO's constant hyping of the theory on Chinese nuclear threat. China has always adhered to the defensive nature of its nuclear strategy and maintained its nuclear potential at the lowest level in line with the needs of state security", Wang told a briefing, adding that the alliance should abandon the policy of nuclear sharing for the sake of arms control.

NATO should withdraw a large number of nuclear weapons deployed across Europe and ensure that the United States assumes special responsibility for a significant reduction of its own arsenal so that nuclear disarmament is full and comprehensive, the spokesman maintained.

NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg and Lithuanian Prime Minister Simonyte give press conference in Brussels

© REUTERS / Stephanie Lecocq

China poses no threat to any country unless it is targeted or threatened first, the diplomat stated.

"China strictly adheres to its policy of never being the first to use nuclear weapons under any circumstances, Beijing has made a clear unconditional commitment not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states and nuclear-weapon-free zones", Wang explained.

On Monday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told the annual Weapons of Mass Destruction conference that while Russia refuses to comply with international arms control rules, China is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal, including through large-scale building of new nuclear missile silos.

Beijing has never participated in the nuclear arms race in any way and has not deployed nuclear weapons outside the country, he went on, stressing that the national forces would not target countries that have no intention of threatening or harming the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of China.