Developments in Nuclear Weapons Around the World

[Bogeyman]

China suspends arms control talks with US over arming Taiwan​

China announced Wednesday that it stopped important arms control and non-proliferation negotiations with the United States, accusing Washington of continuing military supplies to Taiwan.

Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, announced that the US continued to sell weapons to Taiwan despite Beijing's objections. The US actions had "severely damaged the political atmosphere necessary for continued arms control consultations between the two sides," he said.

During a press briefing today, Lin announced that "China has decided to suspend talks with the US on holding a new round of arms control and non-proliferation consultations," adding that "the responsibility for this situation lies entirely with the US," directly accusing Washington for the interruption of discussions.

China suspends arms control talks with US over arming Taiwan

China and the US started negotiations on weapons control and nuclear nonproliferation less than a year ago.

english.almayadeen.net

 

[Bogeyman]

Transparency in the U.S. Nuclear Weapons Stockpile​

The United States is releasing newly declassified information on the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile to update the information previously released in October 2021. Increasing the transparency of states’ nuclear stockpiles is important to nonproliferation and disarmament efforts, including commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and efforts to address all types of nuclear weapons, including deployed and non-deployed, and strategic and non-strategic.

STOCKPILE​

As of September 2023, the U.S. stockpile of nuclear warheads consisted of 3,748 warheads. This number represents an 88 percent reduction in the stockpile from its maximum (31, 255) at the end of fiscal year 1967, and an 83 percent decrease from its level (22,217) when the Berlin Wall fell in late 1989. The figure above shows the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile from 1945 through September 30, 2023.

WARHEAD DISMANTLEMENT​

From fiscal years 1994 through 2023, the United States dismantled 12,088 nuclear warheads. Since September 30, 2020, the United States has dismantled 405 nuclear warheads. Approximately 2,000 additional nuclear warheads are currently retired and awaiting dismantlement.

NON-STRATEGIC NUCLEAR WEAPONS​

The number of U.S. non-strategic nuclear weapons has declined by more than 90 percent since September 30, 1991.*

*During the Cold War, the United States possessed large numbers and a wide range of non-strategic nuclear weapons, also known as theater or tactical nuclear weapons. Since 1991, the United States has retired and dismantled nearly all of those weapons. Note, non-strategic nuclear weapons are non-accountable systems under the New START Treaty.

https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/transparency-us-nuclear-weapons-stockpile

https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2024-07/U.S.%20Nuclear%20Weapons%20Stockpile%20Transparency%202024_0.pdf