Senior U.S. Official Urges China and Russia to Affirm Human Control Over Nuclear Weapons
In a recent online briefing, Paul Dean, an arms control official from the State Department, called on China and Russia to align their declarations with those of the United States and other nations. He stressed the importance of ensuring that only humans, not artificial intelligence, are responsible for decisions regarding the deployment of nuclear weapons.
Dean highlighted Washington’s firm commitment to maintaining human control over nuclear weapons, a commitment echoed by France and Britain. He expressed the hope that China and Russia would issue similar statements, emphasizing the significance of this norm of responsible behavior, especially within the context of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
These remarks coincide with efforts by the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden to engage in separate discussions with China on nuclear weapons policy and the development of artificial intelligence.
While the Chinese defense ministry has yet to respond to these comments, discussions on artificial intelligence emerged during recent talks between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. Both parties agreed to hold their first bilateral talks on artificial intelligence in the coming weeks, aiming to address concerns about the technology’s risks and safety.
Although U.S. and Chinese officials resumed nuclear weapons discussions in January as part of efforts to normalize military communications, formal arms control negotiations are not expected in the near future. Meanwhile, China, amid its expansion of nuclear capabilities, previously suggested that the largest nuclear powers should prioritize negotiating a no-first-use treaty between each other.
Source: reuters.com
