China issued a stern warning to the United States following the expiration of the New START Treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between Washington and Moscow. Beijing urged the US to promptly engage with Russia and seek solutions to prevent rising global strategic instability.

The New START Treaty officially expired on Thursday (February 5, 2026) local time. Its termination removes all limits on nuclear arsenals for the US and Russia, the world’s two largest nuclear powers, marking the first time in more than five decades that such restrictions no longer exist.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that, from China’s perspective, the end of the New START Treaty is deeply regrettable, as quoted by Newsweek.

He emphasized that the agreement played a crucial role in maintaining global strategic stability.

According to Lin, New START was a cornerstone of international strategic balance, and its expiration has raised widespread concerns over the future of the global nuclear arms control system and the overall nuclear order.

China has openly called on the United States to respond to Russia’s proposal to extend nuclear weapons limitations for an additional year. To date, Washington has not issued a response to the proposal.

Lin stressed that China hopes the US will actively engage with Russia’s initiative, pursue responsible solutions, and resume strategic stability talks with Moscow as soon as possible, reflecting the expectations of the international community.

From Moscow, the Kremlin also expressed regret over the treaty’s expiration. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia views the situation negatively, while reaffirming the country’s commitment to a responsible approach.

Peskov stated that the Russian Federation would continue to uphold a comprehensive and responsible stance on nuclear weapons stability, guided by its national interests.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry further noted that under the current circumstances, the parties are no longer bound by any obligations or symmetrical declarations under the New START framework, including its core provisions, effectively granting them freedom to determine their next steps.

For context, the United States and Russia together possess approximately 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons. Each country is estimated to have more than 5,000 nuclear warheads, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). China is also a nuclear-armed state but has declined to join arms control treaties, citing its comparatively smaller arsenal.

Nevertheless, Beijing has accelerated the development of its nuclear capabilities in recent years. The Pentagon estimates that China now has more than 600 operational nuclear warheads. Despite this, China maintains that it adheres to a defensive nuclear strategy and a no-first-use policy.

Lin reiterated that China keeps its nuclear forces at the minimum level required for national security and has no intention of engaging in an arms race with any country. He added that China is not prepared to participate in nuclear disarmament negotiations at this time.