Beijing: China's foreign ministry has called for South Korea and the United States to adhere to their nuclear nonproliferation commitments, following U.S. President Donald Trump's approval for South Korea to construct nuclear-powered submarines in a U.S. shipyard.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, emphasized the importance of both nations implementing their nuclear nonproliferation obligations to contribute to regional peace and stability, rather than actions that could lead to the opposite. These comments were made during a press briefing on Thursday.
The statements from China come in the wake of summit discussions between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and President Trump. During these talks, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation events in Gyeongju, Trump gave the green light for South Korea to proceed with building nuclear-powered submarines in the United States.
President Lee highlighted to President Trump the limitations of diesel-powered submarines, which have restricted underwater navigation capabilities. This, Lee argued, hinders South Korea's military from effectively tracking submarines from North Korea or China, prompting his request for U.S. approval to secure the necessary fuel for nuclear-powered submarines.
In a statement on his Truth Social account, President Trump confirmed that he had granted approval for Seoul to build a nuclear-powered submarine, specifying that the construction would take place at the Philadelphia shipyards in Pennsylvania.