US, China Hold Constructive Discussions on Nuclear Arms Control, Seek to Avoid Conflict Amid Expansion Concerns

First nuclear arms control talks since Obama era held amidst uncertainties about future agreements, Washington voices concern over Beijing's rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal.

• The first nuclear arms control talks between the US and China since the Obama era took place in Washington, led by US Assistant Secretary of State Mallory Stewart and Sun Xiaobo, a director-general at China's foreign ministry.
• One of the top priorities for the US is ensuring that disputes over trade, Taiwan, and the South China Sea don't escalate into conflict between the two largest economies.
• The US expressed concern over China's expanding nuclear arsenal, which currently stands at an estimated 500 warheads according to the Pentagon. Analysts suggest that this increase could heighten risk of conflict.
• The meetings marked ongoing efforts to maintain open communication and responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship, with the US emphasizing the importance of increased PRC nuclear transparency and substantive engagement on practical measures to manage and reduce strategic risks across multiple domains, including nuclear and outer space.
• China has more than 500 operational nuclear warheads in its arsenal and the Pentagon predicts this could exceed 1,000 by 2030. However, this is still a fraction of the US and Russian arsenals which contain around 3,700 and 4,489 nuclear warheads respectively.

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