After the meeting between Chinese and American leaders, new interactions may emerge between the two countries in the field of strategic security.
On October 6th, local time, CNN quoted multiple sources as saying that Chinese and American officials have been discussing the possibility of visiting each other’s nuclear-related facilities over the past few months. These facilities include the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory and corresponding facilities in China. The discussions are still at an initial, informal stage, and the U.S. plans to continue discussing this issue during its future interactions with China over the coming months.
It is worth noting that, according to sources from CNN, the idea of mutual visits was initially proposed by the Chinese side during its contacts with the US this year. Both sides also discussed the possibility of reciprocal visits at facilities such as nuclear test sites. In other words, while the US would open certain facilities to the Chinese side, the Chinese side would similarly open corresponding facilities to the US.
However, this does not mean that China and the US have reached an agreement on "mutual inspections of nuclear facilities".
CNN emphasizes that the current interactions are not formal negotiations, and mainly take place during the activities related to the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
Reuters also stated that it is currently unable to independently verify CNN's reports. Neither the White House nor the Chinese Embassy in the United States responded to comment requests immediately.
CNN believes that if the related discussions continue to progress, reciprocal access can be seen as a measure to build mutual trust and reduce the risk of strategic misjudgments. This issue is currently still at a relatively low-level level of engagement.
This news comes at a time when the international nuclear arms control system is facing new uncertainties. Trump has previously stated that he hopes to facilitate trilateral nuclear arms control negotiations among the United States, China, and Russia. However, China has always been very clear on its position: China’s nuclear forces are not on the same scale as those of the United States and Russia. At this stage, asking China to participate in the so-called trilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations between China, the United States, and Russia is “unfair, unreasonable, and unfeasible.” The country with the largest nuclear arsenal should be the first to make significant and substantial cuts in its nuclear weapons inventory.
Meanwhile, China does not oppose enhancing mutual trust in the nuclear area through dialogue. The materials submitted by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons this year show that China actively participates in dialogues on nuclear policies, strategies, and efforts to reduce nuclear risks within the framework of the five-nuclear-weapon-states mechanism, with the aim of increasing transparency and mutual trust. In March of this year, China also organized visits to the retired “816” nuclear facility in Chongqing by representatives from nearly 20 countries, including ambassadors for disarmament.
Therefore, the contacts disclosed by CNN still differ significantly from formal nuclear disarmament negotiations. Based on current public information, the focus proposed by China is closer to enhancing understanding and mutual trust through reciprocal visits, rather than accepting the trilateral nuclear disarmament framework proposed by the US.
The Chinese side has not yet responded publicly to CNN's latest report.
