China's Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs Li Chijiang (C) rejects a US-led joint statement concerning ballistic missile launch notifications at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland, August 11, 2026. /Xinhua
China on Tuesday strongly rejected US criticism over a joint statement concerning China's notification of a ballistic missile launch, accusing Washington of using the Conference on Disarmament as a platform for "political manipulation and applying double standards."
China's Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs Li Chijiang made the remarks at a meeting on Tuesday, responding to comments by the US representative regarding China's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launch from a submarine in July.
The US representative accused China of not providing pre-launch notification of the July 6 test to all the countries concerned, and of giving those notified only two hours' notice at most. Li said the US had unfairly criticized China's goodwill gesture of providing advance notification of the missile test, calling the accusations "typical political manipulation and blatant double standards."
He noted that the US criticism was groundless, saying Washington had cited the voluntary political commitment of the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC) to demand that China provide advance notifications of missile launches. However, China is not a member of the HCOC and is therefore not bound by its provisions.
Li said China has always conducted ICBM test activities in a safe, standardized and responsible manner. By notifying the United States and other countries in advance, China had taken prudent and reasonable measures to ensure that the tests did not harm the interests of any country, demonstrating its responsible approach and goodwill.
"China's goodwill measures should not be held hostage to geopolitical calculations," he said.
Li also criticized the US over its own record on missile testing, saying the US, as the country with the largest number and highest frequency of ICBM tests in the world, has no standing to lecture China on the issue.
He said China has conducted only three ICBM tests to date, the fewest among the five nuclear-weapon states. Meanwhile, he accused the US of investing heavily in nuclear force expansion and promoting arrangements such as "nuclear sharing" and "extended deterrence," which he said pose serious risks to international peace and security.
"The US has failed to earnestly fulfill its responsibilities regarding missile launch notifications and has no right to criticize China's goodwill gesture of providing advance notification," Li said.
Reaffirming China's nuclear policy, Li said China remains committed to peaceful development, follows a self-defensive nuclear strategy, maintains its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required for national security, and does not engage in any form of nuclear arms race.
"China's nuclear capabilities are an indispensable force for preventing nuclear war, safeguarding global peace and security, and maintaining strategic stability," he said.
Li stressed that China's legitimate and reasonable efforts to modernize its national defense should not be questioned, urging the US to reflect on its own actions and take measures that genuinely contribute to global peace and stability.
Established following the first UN Special Session on Disarmament in 1978, the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament is the world's only multilateral disarmament negotiating body. It has 65 member states and holds three sessions each year, focusing on issues including nuclear disarmament, preventing an arms race and reducing the risk of nuclear war.