China, in his words · First term · № 53
Said a U.S. nuclear buildup was a threat that "includes China"
“It's a threat to whoever you want. And it includes China, and it includes Russia, and it includes anybody else that wants to play that game. You can't do that. You can't play that game on me.”
- Said
- , Exchange with reporters at the White House before departing for Houston, Texas
- Subject
- nuclear arms buildup
- Threat
- Military threat
- Topic
- Veterans & military
- Era
- First term
What the record showed
Trump made the remark two days after saying of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia, "we're going to terminate the agreement"; he noted that "China is not included in the agreement." On December 3, 2018, he tweeted that he, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin would at some point "start talking about a meaningful halt to what has become a major and uncontrollable Arms Race." The United States formally withdrew from the treaty on August 2, 2019. Trump said on May 3, 2019, that China "very much would like to be a part of" a new arms deal; China's foreign ministry said in July 2019 that it would not take part in trilateral negotiations, according to the Arms Control Association.
Sources
- Remarks in an Exchange With Reporters Prior to Departure for Houston, Texas
- Remarks in an Exchange With Reporters in Elko, Nevada
- Tweet: 'I am certain that, at some time in the future, President Xi and I, together with President Putin of Russia, will start talking about a meaningful halt'
- U.S. Withdrawal from the INF Treaty on August 2, 2019
- China’s Stance on Nuclear Arms Control and New START