China has called on the United States to adopt a no-first-use nuclear weapons policy and to relinquish its “nuclear umbrella” protection for allies in Europe and Asia. This demand follows Beijing’s suspension of arms control talks with Washington over Taiwan last week.
On Monday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry published two working papers regarding the “no-first-use” nuclear policy and nuclear security assurances. These documents were initially submitted on July 12 to the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
The NPT aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and technology while promoting nuclear disarmament, according to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. The treaty, opened for signature in 1968 and effective since 1970, includes China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States among its 191 member states. These five nations, also known as the “P5,” are permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.
