China reacts strongly to Japan request

SEOUL, May 17 (UPI) -- China reacted strongly to the Japanese foreign minister's request that Beijing reduce its nuclear weapons arsenal, saying he made "irresponsible remarks."

Ma Zhaxou, spokesman for Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, said Sunday the minister refuted comments by Katsuya Okada, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Yang said Okada made "irresponsible remarks," the spokesman said.

Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported Okada, who met with Yang Saturday at the Japan-South Korea-China trilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, requested China reduce its nuclear weapons arsenal or at least cap it at current levels.

"China is the only country among the five nuclear powers (the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China) that is increasing its nuclear arsenal," Okada was quoted as saying.

The Chinese spokesman quoted Yang as saying China remains transparent on its strategy and policy relating to the nuclear issue, and that China has always advocated that nuclear weapons be forbidden and destroyed but pursues a nuclear strategy of self-defense, Xinhua said.

Yang also was quoted as saying China never deploys any nuclear weapons in other countries.