China US Photo:VCG

China and the US have broken the ice in the field of arms control and nonproliferation that has been frozen for years, as consultations between the two sides were held on Monday. It carries special significance as the latest in a series of efforts intended to ease tensions and build trust ahead of an expected Xi-Biden meeting next week, but Chinese experts still warned of Washington's "bandit logic" and a monopolistic thinking that lies behind its intentions.

The first of its kind since former US president Barack Obama's administration, the consultation is part of a broad array of dialogues between the two sides aiming to keep communication channels open and reduce the risk of miscalculation. 

No statement has been released by the two sides as of press time, but Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin revealed at Monday's press briefing that the two sides will exchange views on issues such as the implementation of an international arms control treaties and nonproliferation.

A New York Times report said it is "encouraging" for the two militaries to discuss arms control as "those lines of communication are the best way to avoid the kind of misunderstandings or overreactions that can lead to actual conflict."

The resumption of such consultations, coming at a critical juncture, carries special significance with conflicts taking place in multiple parts of the world, which add to a growing risk of nuclear proliferation and even nuclear war. Therefore, communication between China and the US is crucial in helping alleviate international tensions, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"Although China's nuclear capabilities are nowhere near that of the US, we are still willing to engage in dialogue as we aim to persuade Washington to be a responsible nuclear power. This is not only for us, but is essential for maintaining peace and stability across the world," Song noted. 

China and the US have recently resumed contact in a number of areas, including climate, trade and commerce, science and technology, and military. Along with an ongoing trip by China's special envoy for climate change Xie Zhenhua, He Lifeng, China's lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, is visiting the US from Wednesday to Sunday at the invitation of US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.

The resumption of consultations between China and the US in multiple important areas indicates that both countries are working to implement the consensus reached by their leaders and turn commitments into actions, Yang Xiyu, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

It shows that despite sharp contradictions, high-level contacts and specialized dialogue mechanisms have become more comprehensive and mature. This progress contributes to the stability of bilateral ties and creates the necessary conditions for meetings between the two leaders, Yang said.

Despite warming signs, however, the US government is continuing tirelessly to hype China's nuclear arsenal "building spree." The Pentagon claimed in a report in October that China "possessed more than 500 operational nuclear warheads as of May 2023 and is likely to have more than 1,000 by 2030." 

Washington has been trying to bring China into the US-Russia nuclear arms control negotiations, but Beijing has not agreed. The reason is simple: China's nuclear weapons stockpile is only a fraction of those possessed by the US and Russia, thus nuclear arms control is a special responsibility for them, not China, experts said. 

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the US currently possesses about 3,700 nuclear warheads, trailing Russia's roughly 4,500, while China only has 410.

"Today we are seeing an odd scene, where a power with overwhelming advantages and an offensive strategy accuses the other with fewer warheads and a defensive nature of being a 'threat,'" Yang said. "This is 'bandit logic' fueled by monopolistic thinking, because the threat that Washington feels is not to its security, but to its nuclear monopoly."

The real threat lies in the US' nuclear capabilities, which are the primary source of global instability, Song noted. By hyping China's "ambition," the US finds an excuse to develop more advanced weapons, while the ultimate consequence is a global arms race and the collapse of the global nonproliferation regime.

Yang warned of an unprecedented extreme anti-China sentiment among some US officials, who view China's development through the lens of its own "might makes right" logic, and who also believe that China will eventually replace the US' position when it's strong. Such a twisted mind-set has become the biggest challenge to bilateral relationship.

"The US should value this window of opportunity, as it does not come easy," Yang said.