U.S and Russia Invite China to Join Nuclear Weapons Talks

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The US and Russia have invited China to attend nuclear arms control talks this month, the Washington Times reports. The 2021 deadline for renewal of the US-Russia New START nuclear arms limitation treaty is fast approaching, and Russia is willing to extend for another five years. However, the US reportedly wants China to come to the negotiating table and join a trilateral treaty.

The meeting already agreed between the US and Russia was announced by State Department official Marshall Billingslea, who tweeted Monday: “Today agreed with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov on time and place for nuclear arms negotiations in June.” Billingslea added: “China also invited. Will China show and negotiate in good faith?”

China is believed to be engaged in what the Washington Times describes as “an extensive expansion of strategic nuclear forces that remains cloaked in secrecy by the ruling Communist Party and the military.” Concerning the issue of China’s participation in a new treaty, the Economist reported that the US “wants [China] to end its obsessive secrecy and join America and Russia in setting limits to the size of their nuclear arsenals.”

China’s nuclear arsenal reportedly includes at least 10 kinds of long-range to short-range ballistic and cruise missiles, the Washington Post reported. It is also reportedly close to deploying ultra-high-speed hypersonic missiles that can strike U.S. targets in less than half an hour.

Up to now, the Chinese government has expressed no interest in joining trilateral talks about an expanded New START deal.

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