China chides US for scrapping missile treaty with Russia

China on Monday strongly opposed the US' decision to walk out of the decades-old nuclear arms treaty with Russia, saying the "wrong" move will have a negative impact on the world.

Beijing also said it was even "more wrong" if the pull-out by Washington had to do with China.

"We oppose the unilateral pull-out by the US. We have to stress that this fallout itself is wrong and it is even more wrong to bring China as a reason," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said here.

US President Donald Trump last week announced that his country would withdraw from the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia, citing Moscow's violations of terms of the pact.

The agreement inked between the US and then Soviet Union required them to eliminate the ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between approximately 300 and 3,400 miles.

Trump said that since Russians violated the pact and China was no party to it, so it was best to the walk out the deal.

The US administration thinks that restriction on developing these missiles will put Washington at a disadvantage in the face of growing rivalry with Beijing.

"It plays an important role in advancing nuclear disarmament process and upholding global strategic balance and stability," Hua added.

"We believe the relevant country will cherish this longstanding and hard-won outcome to fully realize the negative impact of this deed. The issue should be resolved through peaceful dialogue and prudently."

--IANS

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