{"id":71287,"date":"2018-02-04T15:33:38","date_gmt":"2018-02-04T15:33:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/02\/04\/china-criticizes-us-for-nuclear-adversary-claims\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:46:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:46:45","slug":"china-criticizes-us-for-nuclear-adversary-claims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/02\/04\/china-criticizes-us-for-nuclear-adversary-claims\/","title":{"rendered":"China criticizes US for nuclear adversary claims"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BEIJING \u2014 China on Sunday criticized a U.S. government report<\/a> that cast Beijing as a potential nuclear adversary and called on Washington to reduce its own much larger arsenal and join in promoting regional stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Defense Ministry statement said China\u2019s nuclear arsenal is the \u201cminimum level\u201d required for security. It pledged never to be the first to use nuclear weapons \u201cunder any circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sweeping U.S. nuclear strategy review<\/a> issued Friday said Washington wants to prevent Beijing from mistakenly concluding that any use of nuclear weapons, however limited, is acceptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Chinese side expresses firm opposition\u201d to the report, said a ministry spokesman, Ren Guoqiang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe hope the U.S. will abandon a Cold War mentality and earnestly shoulder its special and prior responsibility for its own nuclear disarmament,\u201d said Ren.<\/p>\n\n\n\t