Key facts
- The US and China have discussed reciprocal visits to nuclear sites.
- China initially proposed the idea of reciprocal visits to nuclear facilities.
- Discussions have occurred on the sidelines of UN Security Council meetings.
- US President Donald Trump previously called for trilateral arms control talks with China and Russia.
- Beijing argues its smaller nuclear arsenal makes participation in arms control talks unnecessary.
The United States has discussed the possibility of reciprocal visits to nuclear sites with China, with plans to continue these discussions in the coming months, CNN reported Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The idea was initially raised by China in meetings with US officials this year, and discussions have focused on visits to US Department of Energy national laboratories and equivalent Chinese facilities.
These discussions have largely taken place on the sidelines of gatherings by the UN Security Council's five permanent members, according to CNN. Reuters could not immediately verify the report, and the White House and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.
Last month, US President Donald Trump called for trilateral arms control negotiations involving the US, China, and Russia. However, the CNN report, citing a US official, stated that nuclear site visits were not discussed during the talks between Trump and President Xi Jinping. Beijing has previously stated that its nuclear arsenal is significantly smaller than those of the US and Russia, which it argues makes its participation in such negotiations unnecessary.