US, China Set To Hold Nuclear Arms Talks For First Time Since Obama Administration

The U.S. government is set to engage in a pivotal conversation with China concerning nuclear arms control. This move comes as the U.S. aims to prevent a potential three-nation arms race involving China, Russia and itself.

This upcoming dialogue, slated for Monday, marks the first of its kind since the days of the Obama administration, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The primary objective is to explore avenues to minimize the chances of misunderstandings that could escalate tensions. The session isn't intended to set formal boundaries on nuclear capabilities but rather to understand China's nuclear strategy and its growing nuclear capabilities, according to WSJ.

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Tong Zhao, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, spoke to WSJ, and said, “The Chinese leadership is still preparing for long-term competition with the United States.” He expressed optimism that such interactions, if consistent, might pave the way for more in-depth discussions in the future.

Meanwhile, efforts are underway to bring Russia into separate arms-control discussions, especially after Moscow's withdrawal from the New Start treaty, albeit still adhering to its warhead limits.

This treaty, which restricts the number of long-range nuclear weapons for both the U.S. and Russia, is set to lapse in February 2026.

As the U.S. and China attempt to mend their strained relations, both nations are gearing up for a planned summit between President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Recent developments have seen the two superpowers agreeing to address various contentious issues, from maritime disputes to trade barriers.

Yet, the path to reconciliation remains fragile, with China being non-committal about regular military interactions and the upcoming summit's specifics, the Journal reports.

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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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