MELBOURNE, Australia — The response to the recently-released U.S. Nuclear Posture Review or
NPR from Asia’s major powers has been predictable, with regional allies
welcoming it while China and North Korea have both come out against the
document.
Ren Guoqiang, a spokesman from China’s Ministry of National Defense said China is “firmly opposed” the NPR’s characterisation of its intentions
towards the use of nuclear weapons, noting China has pledged to abide
by a policy of no-first-use of its own nuclear arsenal under any
circumstances.
Ren also emphasized that China “unconditionally pledges to not threaten
the use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states or in
nuclear-free zones” and noted that China “has always kept its own
nuclear forces at the minimum level required by the national security.”
China’s no-first-use policy was reiterated at the recent Munich Security Conference by Chairwoman of China’s National People’s Congress Foreign Affairs Committee Fu Ying during a panel discussion
on nuclear security at the conference, who added that its nuclear
arsenal was geared towards “self-defense and minimum deterrence.”
The NPR described China as “a major challenge to U.S. interests in
Asia,” adding that the U.S. strategy for China is designed to “prevent
Beijing from mistakenly concluding that it could secure an advantage
through the limited use of its theater nuclear capabilities or that any
use of nuclear weapons, however limited, is acceptable.”
Fu expressed puzzlement at the characterization of the threat from
China in the NPR, noting that there “is no reason whatsoever for China
to threaten the United States” and urged it to “not use China or any
other country as an excuse” to alter its nuclear posture.
U.S. ally Japan has also responded to the NPR, with its foreign
ministry releasing a statement attributed to Foreign Minister Taro Kono
that expressed appreciation that the NPR “clearly articulates the U.S.
resolve to ensure the effectiveness of its deterrence and its commitment
to providing extended deterrence to its allies including Japan.”
The statement added that Japan “would continue to strengthen the
deterrence of the Japan-U.S. Alliance by closely consulting on the
extended deterrence, including nuclear deterrence, through the
Japan-U.S. Extended Deterrence Dialogue and other consultations” while
continuing to “closely cooperate with the U.S. to promote realistic and
tangible nuclear disarmament, while appropriately addressing the actual
security threats.”
In contrast, South Korea has not officially responded to the NPR,
although an anonymous foreign ministry official was quoted by the Yonhap
News Agency as saying that the government sees the NPR as reaffirming
Washington’s pledge to “provide extended deterrence to South Korea and
other allies” in the face of increasing threats from North Korea.
The NPR’s confirmation that submarine-launched low yield nuclear
weapons will be developed by the United States also attracted attention
from South Korean commentators, with Park Won-gon, a security expert at
Handong Global University, suggesting to Yonhap that “tactical nuclear
weapons with low-yield warheads could be used not just in a retaliatory
strike following an attack, but also in a preventive strike against the
North.”
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has recently held out the possibility that the U.S. may be open to unconditional informal talks with North Korea,
while Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has also said that he is intent
on keeping the channels of communication open with the North.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert has also confirmed that
Pence was ready to meet with the North Korean delegation leaders during
his recent visit to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea “to
drive home the necessity of North Korea abandoning its illicit ballistic
missile and nuclear programs” when the possibility of a brief meeting
arose. But she added that the North Korean officials decided not to go
forward with the meeting at the last minute.
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