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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 7 december 2022

China blasts U.S. report, reiterates ‘no 1st use’ nuke policy

BEIJING (AP) — China strict- under any circumstances,
ly adheres to its policy of no and maintains its nuclear
first use of nuclear weap- force at the minimum level
ons “at any time and under required for national secu-
any circumstances,” its De- rity,” Tan said in the state-
fense Ministry said Tuesday ment, which was posted on
in a scathing response to a the ministry’s website.
U.S. report alleging a major His remarks came days af-
buildup in Beijing’s nuclear ter U.S. Defense Secretary
capabilities. Lloyd Austin said the U.S.
The Pentagon last week is at a pivotal point with
released an annual China China and will need mili-
security report that warned tary strength to ensure that
Beijing would likely have American values, not Bei-
1,500 nuclear warheads by jing’s, set global norms in
2035, and that it has pro- the 21st century.
vided no clarity on how it Austin’s speech Saturday
plans to use them. at the Reagan National
That report “distorts Chi- Defense Forum capped a
na’s national defense pol- week in which the Penta-
icy and military strategy, gon was squarely focused
makes groundless specula- on China’s rise and what
tion about China’s military that might mean for Amer-
development and grossly Visitors tour past military vehicles carrying the Dong Feng 41 and DF-17 ballistic missiles at an ica’s position in the world.
interferes in China’s internal exhibition highlighting President Xi Jinping and his China’s achievements under his leadership, at China “is the only country
affairs on the issue of Tai- the Beijing Exhibition Hall in Beijing on Oct. 12, 2022. with both the will and, in-
wan,” ministry spokesper- Associated Press creasingly, the power to
son Tan Kefei said in a state- U.S. for raising nuclear ten- ally held by Russia, a close gy, including a claim that it reshape its region and the
ment. Tan accused the U.S. sions, particularly with its Chinese military, economic will never be the first to use international order to suit its
of being the “biggest trou- plan to help Australia build and diplomatic partner. nuclear weapons in a con- authoritarian preferences,”
blemaker and destroyer of a fleet of submarines pow- As of 2022, Russia possess- flict. That stance has fre- Austin said. “So let me be
world peace and stability,” ered by U.S. nuclear tech- es a total of 5,977 nuclear quently been challenged clear: We will not let that
and repeated that Beijing nology, which the French warheads compared to at home and abroad, happen.” Austin was on
has never renounced the president has described as 5,428 in the U.S. inventory, particularly if it comes to a hand Friday for a dramatic
use of force to conquer a “confrontation with Chi- according to the Federa- confrontation over Taiwan. nighttime rollout of the U.S.
self-governing Taiwan, a na.” Australia has said it will tion of American Scientists. “What needs to be empha- military’s newest nuclear
U.S. ally that China consid- not seek to arm the subma- China currently has 350 nu- sized is that China firmly pur- stealth bomber, the B-21
ers part of its territory. rines with nuclear weap- clear warheads, according sues the nuclear strategy of Raider, which is being de-
Tan did not directly address ons. Tan also accused the to the federation. self-defense and defense, signed to beat the quickly
the report’s allegations U.S. of having the world’s China has long adhered to always adheres to the poli- growing cyber, space and
about a Chinese nuclear largest nuclear arsenal, what it calls a purely defen- cy of no first use of nuclear nuclear capabilities of
buildup, but blamed the although that title is actu- sive national security strate- weapons at any time and Beijing.q

Israel dismantles unused Gaza crossing to extend barrier

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) Gaza City after Israel de- been the largest and main of goods, where Israeli The 65-kilometer (40-mile)
— Bulldozers and cranes cided to extend a security import-export terminal for trucks offload their ship- barrier includes radar sys-
were seen Tuesday disman- barrier at the location of the Palestinian enclave, ments and leave before tems, maritime sensors and
tling a commercial crossing the long-defunct terminal. equipped with scanners Palestinian trucks enter to a network of underground
point on the eastern side of The Karni crossing had and conveyor belts. But pick up the goods. sensors to detect militant
Israel shut it down when it On Sunday, the Israeli mili- tunnels. Existing fencing
imposed a blockade on tary said it began an op- was replaced with a 6-me-
Gaza following the militant eration to evacuate Karni ter (6.5-yard) high “smart
Hamas group’s takeover in to complete the construc- fence” with sensors and
2007. tion of an underground cameras.
For the next three years, barrier. “This is an opera- The Gaza-Israel border has
Karni operated intermit- tion designed to improve been largely calm since an
tently for limited deliver- defense in this area, which Egyptian-brokered cease-
ies of basic humanitar- takes place as part of the fire ended a three-day war
ian needs in Gaza. Israel improvement of defense in with Islamic Jihad militants
eventually stopped using it the entire border area with in the territory. Hamas Is-
and shifted the work to the the Gaza Strip,” it added. lamists also honor unofficial
smaller, limited Kerem Sha- Last year, Israel announced understandings to maintain
lom crossing in southeast the completion of an en- calm in exchange for Israeli
Gaza Strip. hanced security barrier economic incentives, in-
An Israeli excavator demolishes the remains of Karni commercial Kerem Shalom lacked the around the Gaza Strip de- cluding allowing thousands
border crossing between Israel and Gaza Strip, east of Gaza advanced capabilities of signed to prevent militants of Gazans to cross into Is-
City, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. Karni and it depended on from sneaking into the rael for work.q
Associated Press back-to-back movement country.