China has called on the United States to take the lead in reducing military expenditures, responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent suggestion to negotiate cuts with Russia and China. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs made this statement on Friday.
Trump, during his second presidential term, expressed his desire for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping “when everything calms down,” aiming to discuss military spending reductions. “I want to say: let’s cut our military budget by half,” he told reporters on Thursday.
In response, the Chinese Ministry emphasized that the U.S. has the largest military budget in the world. “Since the United States advocates for ‘America First,’ they should take the initiative and set an example by reducing military expenditures,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gao Jiaqun at a press briefing.
Gao also reiterated that China’s military budget is “open and transparent” and “reasonable and appropriate” compared to the United States and other major military powers. “China’s limited defense spending is fully necessary to protect national sovereignty, security, and development interests, as well as to safeguard peace worldwide,” he added.
Trump also suggested that the three countries should work toward reducing their nuclear arsenals, but Gao pointed out that the U.S. and Russia bear “special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament” due to their large nuclear stockpiles. “China… has always maintained its nuclear forces at the minimum level necessary for national security and does not engage in an arms race with any country,” Gao concluded.
