The key facts

  • China refused to take part in nuclear disarmament talks, calling such a demand 'unfair and unreasonable'
  • The statement followed Trump's remarks about US consultations with China and Russia on denuclearization
  • According to SIPRI, China has 620 warheads, the US 5,042, and Russia 5,420 (as of January 2026)

China rejects call for disarmament talks

China said on Friday that the demand for Beijing to take part in nuclear disarmament talks is 'unfair and unreasonable'. The statement came after US President Donald Trump said that Washington is holding consultations with China and Russia on the issue of denuclearization.

Position of China's Foreign Ministry

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, as reported by the state outlet Global Times, emphasized that 'China's nuclear forces are on a completely different scale from those of the US and Russia'. She added that Beijing has already stated its position on this issue 'many times'. According to Mao, the US, as a country possessing a huge nuclear arsenal, should 'faithfully fulfill its special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament', which, in her view, is a 'broad consensus of the international community'.

Data on nuclear arsenals

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), as of January 2026 China possessed approximately 620 nuclear warheads, while the US had 5,042 warheads and Russia 5,420.