China says expiration of U.S.-Russia arms treaty regrettable

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said ‌on Thursday (February 5, 2026) that the expiration of the U.S.-Russia ​arms pact was regrettable and urged the U.S. to resume dialog with Russia connected “strategic stability”. The New START treaty expired astatine the adjacent of Wednesday (February 4, 2026), marking the extremity of implicit fractional a period of limits connected some sides’ strategical atomic weapons. Russia said connected Wednesday (February 4, 2026) it was unfastened to information talks but would resolutely antagonistic ​any caller “threats”.

“China regrets the expiration of the New START ⁠Treaty, arsenic the pact is of large value to maintaining planetary strategical stability,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

“The planetary assemblage is mostly acrophobic that the expiration ​of the pact volition person ⁠a antagonistic interaction connected the planetary atomic arms power strategy and the planetary atomic order.”

Russia had suggested that some sides proceed to grant the treaty’s halfway limits, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry ‌urged Washington to respond constructively.

“China calls connected the United States ‌to respond positively, grip the treaty’s follow-up arrangements responsibly, and resume strategical stableness dialog with Russia arsenic soon ‍as possible. This is besides the wide anticipation of the planetary community,” Mr. Lin said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated that it adheres strictly to a ‍self-defence atomic strategy.

“China has consistently adhered to a self-defense atomic strategy, abided by the argumentation of nary archetypal usage of atomic weapons and has made unconditional commitments not to usage oregon endanger to usage atomic weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states oregon nuclear-weapon-free zones,” Mr. Lin said, adding that China keeps its arsenal astatine the minimum level needed for nationalist security.

Mr. Lin added that its atomic forces are acold smaller than those ⁠of Washington and Moscow and reiterated it would not articulation their bilateral arms-reduction talks.

“China’s atomic forces are not ​on the aforesaid level arsenic those of the United States and Russia, ⁠and China volition not enactment successful disarmament negotiations astatine this stage,” Mr. Lin said.

The White House said this week that President Donald Trump would determine the mode guardant connected atomic arms control, which helium would “clarify connected his ain timeline”.