US nuclear power Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

The US has accused China of "increasing the risk of arms-race dynamics" after Beijing held off arms control and non-proliferation consultations with Washington in response to its recent arms sales to Taiwan region. Chinese analysts on Thursday criticized the US' move as shifting blame, noting that with the US constantly undermining strategic stability and atmosphere for consultations, its efforts are still centered on containing China's development.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that Beijing has decided to hold off discussions with the US on a new round of consultations on arms control and non-proliferation. He stressed that the responsibility "fully lies with the US." 

"Over the past weeks and months, despite China's firm opposition and repeated protests, the US has continued to sell arms to Taiwan and done things that severely undermine China's core interests and the mutual trust between China and the US. This has seriously compromised the political atmosphere for continuing the arms control consultations," Lin said. 

In June, the US State Department approved a new package of weapon sales worth an estimated $360 million to China's Taiwan region. In response, China announced sanctions against six US military companies and five senior executives.

Commenting on Beijing's move on Wednesday local time, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said China "undermines strategic stability," and "increases the risk of arms-race dynamics."

He said that China has chosen to follow Russia's lead by asserting that arms-control engagement cannot proceed while there are other challenges in the bilateral relationship, according to Reuters. 

China and US resumed arms control and non-proliferation talks in November 2023 as a part of efforts to bring about an atmosphere of détente ahead of the summit between two countries' heads of state in San Francisco. 

However, US officials and media have tirelessly hyped China's "nuclear arsenal building spree." 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.

It looks odd for the US to ceaselessly hype the "China threat" rhetoric despite its overwhelming offensive advantage, said a Chinese expert who requested anonymity. 

"The real goal of the US in seeking arms control talks with China is to assess China's military buildup, especially its nuclear capabilities," the expert said, noting that Miller's comments show how the US is seeking to shift blame.   

In addition to arms sales to Taiwan region, the US has also done a lot to damage the strategic stability between Beijing and Washington. In May, Japan and the US signed an arrangement to jointly develop a new type of missile defense system, after the US agreed to sell 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles to Japan in January.  

The US also deployed its Mid-Range Capability missile system for the first time in the north of the Philippines in April this year amid a spat between Beijing and Manila.

Arms control and non-proliferation consultations are originally a mechanism for dialogue between major powers to maintain strategic stability and manage the arms race. If one side always stresses arms control talks while undermining strategic stability, then its actual intention is not arms control, and in this case, arms control consultations will lose their original meaning, said the Chinese expert. 

According to analysts, arms control talks cover a wide range of areas beyond strategic nuclear weapons, including missiles, biochemistry and even artificial intelligence.

There are many issues that the US wants to discuss with China, but the US is trying to shape these engagements in line with its political purpose of strategic competition, such as containing China's military development through arms control issues, analysts said. 

In addition, as the US enters its election period, analysts said the two parties will continue to hype China-related issues. 

If the two parties hype China-related issues, including the arms control talks and arms sales to Taiwan region, as campaign tools, then it will be nearly impossible to conduct responsible arms control talks between the two countries, the expert said.