The USA mentioned on Tuesday (Nov 7) it had held constructive talks with China this week on arms control and nonproliferation as a part of an effort to maintain strains of communication open forward of a doable assembly of the US and Chinese language presidents this month.
The arms management talks in Washington on Monday, which a US official described as the primary for the reason that Obama administration, had been led by US Assistant Secretary of State Mallory Stewart and Solar Xiaobo, a director-general at China’s overseas ministry.
One of many prime US priorities has been to make sure the extreme competitors between the world’s two largest economies and their disagreements over a bunch of points from commerce to Taiwan and the South China Sea don’t veer into battle.
Washington can also be concerned about the expansion of China’s nuclear arsenal which, at an estimated 500 warheads in line with the Pentagon, stays under the US and Russian arsenals however which some analysts imagine might enhance the chance of battle.
“The 2 sides held a candid and in-depth dialogue on points associated to arms management and nonproliferation as a part of ongoing efforts to take care of open strains of communication and responsibly handle the US-PRC relationship,” the US State Division mentioned, utilizing the acronym for the Individuals’s Republic of China.
“The USA emphasised the significance of elevated PRC nuclear transparency and substantive engagement on sensible measures to handle and cut back strategic dangers throughout a number of domains, together with nuclear and outer house,” it added.
“This constructive assembly adopted current high-level engagements,” it mentioned, citing talks in Washington between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and China’s top diplomat Wang Yi.
The Chinese language embassy in Washington mentioned it didn’t have any fast remark.