China and US set for first nuclear non-proliferation talks in years
- Chinese foreign ministry confirms that arms control chief Sun Xiaobo will lead Beijing’s delegation during talks in US capital with US State Department officials
- Washington has previously expressed concern that Beijing is building up its nuclear arsenal, but China says the onus is on the US to make the first cuts
The Chinese delegation will be led by Sun Xiaobo, who leads the foreign ministry’s arms control department, Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the ministry, told a news conference on Thursday.
The US will be represented by Mallory Stewart, the assistant secretary of state for arms control, verification and compliance, according to the Wall Street Journal. The American office Stewart heads is responsible for providing oversight of other countries’ arms control commitments.
The last time such talks were held was in Beijing in July 2019, when Sun’s predecessor Fu Cong met Christopher Ford, the acting undersecretary of state for international security and non-proliferation. Officials responsible for arms control from the two sides also met in Beijing in 2016.
Wang, the Chinese foreign ministry’s spokesman, said on Thursday: “China and the US will discuss a wide range of topics, including non-proliferation, as required by international arms control treaties.”
The meeting, to be held in Washington, is part of a series of discussions agreed after last week’s talks between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with other talks covering issues such as maritime affairs and disability rights.
Preparations taking place at the St Regis Beijing indicate that the hotel will host the first talks on maritime issues between the two sides on Friday.
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