Exploiting Sino-Russian Nuclear Divergence

As the United States begins its latest push to acquire next-generation nuclear weapons, the Kremlin has responded in lockstep by increasing its own nuclear arsenal and pressing Washington on arms control. China holds back and instead chooses to stick to conventional military forces and gaining global influence through soft power. China, considerably more competitive than Russian economically and diplomatically, is preoccupied by the nuclear buildup on its own border by North Korea and how that might expand. Richard Weitz, a senior fellow and the director of the Center for Political-Military Analysis at the Hudson Institute, explains that the United States could use this divergence to its own strategic advantage. Weitz argues that the United States has an opportunity to include China in US-Russian nuclear arms control negotiations, which could lead to Russia pressuring China from enlarging Beijing’s nuclear offensive capabilities. — YaleGlobal