Certain nuclear superpower driving up arms race risk: Chinese envoy

A certain nuclear superpower has been waging wars around the world, severely driving up the risk of arms races, said Xu Feng, Counselor for the Disarmament Division at China's Permanent Mission to the UN, at the 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), on Friday.

The review conference opened Monday at the UN Headquarters in New York City and will run through May 22.

"The current international security situation is undergoing profound and complex evolution, which has seriously worsened the environment for advancing nuclear disarmament. A certain nuclear weapon superpower has wantonly violated the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, waged wars everywhere, and provoked bloc confrontation, disturbing assessments of countries security threats and risks and driving up the risk of international and regional arms races. The certain nuclear superpower has been spending heavily on modernizing its nuclear triad, accelerating technical preparations for the combat use of nuclear weapons, and researching and developing low-yield nuclear weapons. It's pursuit of absolute strategic advantage has overtaken its political will to fulfill its special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament. The Review Conference should focus on the above issues, encourage all parties to return to a rational and pragmatic approach, and steer the nuclear disarmament process back onto the right track," Xu said.

"Nuclear-weapon states with the largest nuclear arsenals should earnestly fulfill their special and primary responsibilities for nuclear disarmament, further reducing their nuclear stockpiles so as to create conditions for other nuclear weapon states to join the nuclear disarmament process. China is concerned about the expiration of the New START Treaty, and calls on the relevant countries to seriously consider Russia's proposals and handle follow-up arrangements in a responsible manner. Relevant nuclear-weapon states should withdraw all nuclear weapons deployed abroad back to their own territories as soon as possible and should not deploy nuclear weapons or build nuclear-weapon infrastructure in other countries," he said.

Certain nuclear superpower driving up arms race risk: Chinese envoy

Certain nuclear superpower driving up arms race risk: Chinese envoy

Certain nuclear superpower driving up arms race risk: Chinese envoy

Indonesia and China have launched cross-border QR interoperability, marking a significant milestone in deepening financial cooperation and accelerating digital payment integration between the two countries.

The initiative, introduced by Bank Indonesia on Thursday, enables users from both countries to conduct retail payments seamlessly by scanning QR codes across borders.

The system is expected to support tourism, trade activities, and people-to-people exchanges, while reinforcing regional payment connectivity across Asia.

The collaboration reflects a broader push by Bank Indonesia to promote local currency transactions and reduce reliance on global reserve currencies in cross-border payments, particularly the U.S. dollar.

Speaking at the launching ceremony in Jakarta, Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo emphasized that the linkage demonstrated tangible progress in bilateral financial integration.

"Now, whether Indonesians go to China or Chinese visitors come to Indonesia, they can use QRIS. Just use your mobile phone," he said.

The initiative is built on a direct local currency settlement mechanism between the Indonesian rupiah and the Chinese yuan, allowing transactions to bypass third-party currencies. This system is expected to reduce exchange rate risks, lower transaction costs, and enhance financial autonomy for both countries.

Indonesia, China launch cross-border QRIS payment