China not to join nuclear disarmament talks for now - report

Beijing cannot join nuclear disarmament talks at this stage due to the gap in nuclear capabilities with the U.S., Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian said.

"China’s nuclear forces are at a different level compared with those of the U.S. At this stage, China cannot participate in negotiations on nuclear disarmament," the spokesman said.

According to the diplomat, "China has consistently advocated that nuclear disarmament should advance in accordance with the principles of maintaining global strategic stability."

The U.S. has repeatedly stated that it considers it necessary to develop new nuclear disarmament mechanisms involving Beijing alongside Washington and Moscow. The Chinese Embassy in Washington said that Beijing considers the U.S. desire to involve China in the Russia-U.S. nuclear arms reduction process at this stage unfair and unreasonable.