Trump threatens to build up nuclear arsenal, world concerns

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that the country would build up its nuclear arsenal "until people come to their senses." 

Trump reiterated the belief that Russia has violated the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty. He also pointed out that China is not included in the agreement.

President Donald Trump walks from the Oval Office as he leaves the White House in Washington, Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, to head to a campaign rally in Houston. [Photo: AP]

The president said China should be part of the agreement, raising questions about whether he plans to renegotiate a more sweeping pact that includes Russia, China, and the United States.

Trump's intent of pulling out of the treaty as announced over the weekend has drawn concerns from the international community.

The European Union said in a statement Monday that beyond urging Russia to stick to the INF treaty, the bloc of countries also expects "the United States to consider the consequences of its possible withdrawal from the INF on its own security, on the security of its allies and of the whole world."

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Monday that "it's completely wrong to link the U.S. withdrawal from the treaty to China." 

The INF treaty is an important arms control and disarmament treaty reached between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, Hua said. It has played an important role in easing international relations, advancing the process of nuclear disarmament, and maintaining global strategic balance and stability, she said, adding that the treaty is still of great significance today.

"The unilateral withdrawal from the treaty will cause negative impacts in various areas," she continued. China hopes the countries can cherish hard-won achievements over the years, carefully and properly handle the issue through dialogue and consultation, and think twice about the withdrawal, Hua said.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin denies Trump's allegations that Russia has violated terms of the treaty. Peskov says the U.S. withdrawal from the treaty would "make the world a more dangerous place."

(AP, Xinhua contributed to the story)