China distances itself from nuclear weapons threat against United States

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2005

BEIJING, (AFP) — China has distanced itself from reported comments by a general last week that Beijing could use nuclear weapons to retaliate against the United States if it attacked over Taiwan.

Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said China would not be the first to use nuclear weapons "at any time and under any condition," the official Xinhua news agency reported.

"China has consistently observed the commitment since its first nuclear test in 1964," Xinhua said late Thursday, quoting Li as saying such a stance "will not be changed in the future."

The rebuttal followed reported comments by a professor at China's National Defence University who said China could use nuclear weapons to retaliate against the United States if it attacked in any conflict over Taiwan....