(Pool photo via Reuters)BEIJING: China urged the United States to drop its “Cold War mentality” and not misread its military build-up, after Washington published a document on Friday outlining plans to expand its nuclear capabilities to deter others. The US military has put countering China and Russia, dubbed "revisionist powers", at the centre of a new national defence strategy unveiled earlier this month. By expanding its own low-yield nuclear capability, the US would deter Russia from using nuclear weapons, say American officials. China accused the United States of "presumptuous speculation" about China's intentions, and said it has always adopted a restrained attitude towards the development of nuclear weapons and kept its nuclear forces to a minimum. "We hope that the United States will abandon its Cold War mentality, earnestly assume its special disarmament responsibilities, correctly understand China's strategic intentions and objectively view China's national defence and military build-up...," the ministry said in the statement posted on its website.

Source: Bangkok Post February 04, 2018 19:30 UTC