China responded to Donald Trump‘s call for disarmament discussions by suggesting that he put “America First” when it comes to reducing China’s own weapons. It comes at a time when global fears about nuclear proliferation are growing and military spending is increasing.
Nuclear Arms Reduction: The core of the issue
President Trump has advocated for the U.S., China, and Russia – the world’s leading military spenders – to engage in discussions aimed at significantly cutting their nuclear arsenals and military budgets, potentially by as much as 50%. The proposal aims to stop the global arms race from escalating and increase international security.
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president has expressed his support for this initiative and invited China to join the proposal. It is possible that Russia would be willing to participate in multilateral talks on the reduction of nuclear weapons. The future remains complicated and uncertain.
China’s Stand: A Challenge for the U.S.
Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry, challenged President Trump during a recent news conference. Wu Qian said that the U.S. has the biggest defense budget, and the most substantial nuclear arsenal.
“I believe that the U.S. should put into practice ‘America First’ in this regard, and be the first to cut its nuclear arsenal and military expenditure,” the spokesperson stated. The response indicates that China thinks the U.S. is the leader in the disarmament effort, due to its dominance in terms of military expenditure and nuclear capability.
Wu Qian reiterated China’s “no first-use” policy in relation to its nuclear weapons. He asserted that China keeps its nuclear capability at the minimal level required for national security and aligns with its defensive strategy. If this policy is maintained, it will reduce some fears about possible first strikes.
Global Military Spending: An Alarming Trend
In 2024, global military spending will have reached $2.46 Trillion according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. China announced a defense budget of $236 billion for this year, which represents a 7.2% rise in military spending. Analysts speculate, however, that China’s actual spending on military is higher than reported due to non-reported expenditures.
American Enterprise Institute estimates China’s real defence spending at around $711 Billion, which is similar to the U.S. budget for defense of $850 Billion. The discrepancy between reported and actual figures shows the difficulty in accurately assessing military spending around the world.
Beijing’s rapidly growing nuclear arsenal is the Pentagon’s primary challenge. President Xi Jinping wants to build a “world class” military capable of rivaling that of the United States by 2049.
The Pentagon believes that China has approximately 600 nuclear warheads, despite the fact that China’s count of warheads is lower than those held by Russia and the United States. According to projections, this number may exceed 1,000 before the end of the century. Therefore, strategic arms control talks are needed.
Perspectives on Nuclear Disarmament
Donald Trump said the following in February, as a former U.S. Presidency: There’s no need for us to build brand new nuclear weapons. Already, we have so many. It would be possible to destroy the entire world 100 or 50 times. “We’re making new nuclear weapons and they are also building them.”
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (a Chicago based non-profit) commented on the situation: The Trump administration may renew [U.S. President Ronald] Reagan’s greatest accomplishment was to negotiate with Russia and China in order to curb the increasing number of nuclear weapons around the globe. He has the chance to pressure the United States to keep its disarmament promise regarding nuclear weapons. Should he succeed, Trump could even win a Nobel Peace Prize—becoming just the fifth U.S. president to do so.”
Arms Control: The Future is Uncertain
Specifics about potential discussions on military and nuclear spending cuts remain unclear. Before engaging in larger arms control talks, the current U.S. Administration appears to be focused on resolving global geopolitical conflicts, such as in Ukraine. These proposed discussions will be determined by the diplomatic progress made and whether all sides are willing to have a meaningful discussion about arms control.