Washington [US]: The US has expressed its concerns over China’s growing nuclear arsenal on Saturday. US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken noted serious concerns over the rapid growth of the PRC’s nuclear arsenal which highlights how Beijing has sharply deviated from its decades-old nuclear strategy based on minimum deterrence. During the meeting with the foreign ministers of the 26 ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) participating countries, Blinken called on Beijing to abide by its obligations under the international law of the sea and cease its provocative behaviour in the South China Sea. He raised serious concerns about ongoing human rights abuses in Tibet, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang. Blinken then joined other countries in calling for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He also urged all ARF member states to press the military regime in Burma to end violence and support the people of Burma as they work to return to democratic governance.
