China
China says nuclear weapons only intended for ‘self-defence’
China reaffirms its nuclear program’s self-defense nature and opposes a nuclear arms race, responding to concerns about the rapid growth of its nuclear arsenal.
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BEIJING, CHINA — Beijing on Friday stressed its nuclear programme was only intended for self-defence, insisting nations had nothing to fear as long as they did not threaten China with attack.
Washington said this week that China’s nuclear arsenal was developing much faster than US projections had previously anticipated, and Beijing is likely to have more than 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030.
Asked about the claim, China’s foreign ministry expressed its “firm opposition” to the US report, though a spokesperson did not outright deny the numbers given.
“China firmly pursues a nuclear strategy of self-defence,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.
“We have always kept our nuclear forces at the minimum level required for national security and have no intention to engage in a nuclear arms race with any country,” she added.
“No country will be threatened by China’s nuclear weapons as long as it does not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against China,” Mao said.
She also hit back at US moves to “invest heavily in upgrading its nuclear” forces and its policy of providing nuclear protection to non-nuclear allies, formally known as “extended deterrence”.
“These policy actions aggravate the risk of a nuclear arms race and nuclear conflict, and will only worsen the global strategic security environment,” Mao warned.
The United States currently possesses about 3,700 nuclear warheads, trailing Russia’s roughly 4,500, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which counts 410 warheads for China.
Beijing officially adopts a nuclear policy of “no first use” — stating it will only use its nuclear weapons if attacked first.
But in recent years, under President Xi Jinping, it has begun a massive military modernisation drive that includes upgrading its nuclear weapons to not only deter foes but also be able to counter-attack if deterrence fails.
Experts say China’s assessment of what constitutes a credible nuclear deterrent may also be changing — and that substantial upgrades to its forces will embolden its military, particularly in regards to self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory, and the disputed South China Sea, the majority of which China also claims.
— AFP
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every bloody day threaten to nuke taiwan. and cheer when putin threaten to nuke the world. now say “self-defence”. who believe this shit.
Nuclear like a gun is a killing tool. It does not teach you to resolve problem peacefully rather it is used in the heat of the moment or intentionally to cause maximum damage, kill or murder. No?!? When Rich ppl spin lies to Court for a nuclear code. It is Self Protection for their Empires becos they have done too much shit/corruption/murder/lies and needed a weapon to protect themselves. No?!?
Cheaa, pappies also say pofma is necessary for self-defence (against “false” news), hor. Ownself can say Anything Ownself.
Why does Loong seems to court this type of threatening countries as friends.
How do these Communist PRC explained buzzing Taiwan and it’s surrounding areas regularly with threatening aircrafts, fighter jets, submarines, drones. How about aggressive actional behaviors against harmless Pinoy fishermen?
Every nuclear armed country will say the same thing – the nuclear weapons are for self defence. And China is no different. Except….. Look at how blase Belarus (Putin’s lap dog) warned about Russia using nuclear weapons in the current Russia-Ukraine war. Notably, Russia’s one time Prime Minister and President Dmitry Medvedev too threatened the use of nuclear weapons if Ukraine was successful in its counter offensive against Russia. Closer to home, of course we have Kim Jong Un who nonchalantly claims the expansion of N Korea’s nuclear programme. While N Korea aspires to belong to the nuclear armed “family”,… Read more »
Grabbing the whole SCS is also for self-defense, too? Oh no, no ….. lets rephrase that as “ensuring the safety of the region”. So noble, hor?
Whose Self Defence?
Self Defence for all the similar mindset Alliances/Empires is it? Then use lower end Similarity/Clones as Scapegoat?
Cannot trust ppl who are not clear and drag whole group of ppl into the MESS they created.
This kind of logic is laughable and threat people like moron.
Russia-ukraine war has shown similar argument likewise. A big country with nuclear capability attacking other smaller countries for land grab, and when face retaliation, threaten them with nuclear under excuse of self-defence.