Resumption of US-China talks on nuclear arms is a step in right direction

China, the United States, and Russia are the world's largest nuclear powers. However, due to ongoing tensions, China and the United States have not engaged in discussions about arms control and non-proliferation since 2019. This concerning lack of dialogue on nuclear security is set to be addressed in a meeting this week. While it's unlikely that any agreements will be reached, the resumption of talks is a positive step towards understanding and transparency in managing the risks of conflict or accident. This is a significant example of the improving relations between the two nations, occurring just before a summit between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden.

The Chinese delegation to the nuclear talks in Washington will be led by foreign ministry arms control official Sun Xiaobo, while the US is expected to be represented by Mallory Stewart, the assistant secretary of state for arms control. These talks are part of a series of meetings agreed upon after last week's discussions between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. During the Cold War, Russia and the US regularly held arms control talks that helped manage risk. Although the Cold War has ended, more countries are now nuclear-armed. Russia has withdrawn from arms control discussions with the US, and Washington, concerned with China's attempt to catch up with the two major nuclear powers, is eager to engage with Beijing.

The reopening of this dialogue is crucial for both sides to build mutual trust and increase transparency. China maintains that it is a relatively small nuclear player in terms of the number of warheads and that it would only use them in retaliatory self-defence. While the negotiations may not bring about significant changes, they can play a vital role in reducing mistrust, suspicion, and excessive competition. More importantly, the re-engagement of the world's two largest economies extends beyond nuclear arms talks. Over the past two weeks, they have also discussed other critical issues such as climate change and the global governance of artificial intelligence. These discussions are not only necessary for the two nations to work together, but they are also crucial to all other countries. They provide opportunities for China and the US to demonstrate global responsibility and leadership. If they can make progress on both bilateral and global issues, it sends a symbolically important positive message. The two sides are already engaging more bilaterally, with the US sending a large delegation to China's biggest trade expo. It is hoped that when Xi and Biden meet, they will have some concrete results to show the world, not only on global issues but also on bilateral relations, which are paramount to effective wider global leadership.