Germany has urged China to exercise restraint and participate in future arms control efforts following the expiry of the last major nuclear treaty between the United States and Russia
Germany’s foreign minister on Thursday urged China to show restraint in weapons development after the expiry of the last remaining nuclear arms agreement between the United States and Russia. The New START treaty ended on February 5, prompting warnings from campaigners that its collapse could spark a new arms race and encourage China to expand its arsenal.
“Any armaments control treaty that expires must be cause for concern for us,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in Canberra during a visit to Australia.
“It shows how large the task is when it comes to building new trust in the world that can be a basis for new agreements.”
Wadephul said China must be included in any future arms control arrangements. “China has to be included,” he said. “China keeps emphasising that they stand with multilateralism, they also have to show in the field of arms control that they are ready to show restraint and that they invest trust in international relations.”
US presses for China’s participation
On Wednesday,
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for a new agreement that accounts for China’s expanding nuclear capabilities.
“The president’s been clear in the past that in order to have true arms control in the 21st century, it’s impossible to do something that doesn’t include China, because of their vast and rapidly growing stockpile,” Rubio said.
China’s nuclear arsenal continues rapid growth
China’s nuclear capabilities are expanding quickly, with an estimated 550 strategic nuclear launchers—still below the 800 each that
Russia and the United States were capped at under New START. Treaty-bound US allies France and Britain together hold another 100 launchers.
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