The talks, which were announced to have taken place in Washington on Monday, are among the top priorities for the United States, with ensuring that the trade rivalry between the world’s two largest economies and other geopolitical disagreements do not spill over into conflict.

“The two sides held a candid and in-depth discussion on issues related to arms control and non-proliferation as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the US-China relationship,” the US State Department said.

“The United States underscores the importance of increased transparency on China’s nuclear program and meaningful engagement in practical measures to manage and reduce strategic risks across multiple domains, including nuclear and outer space,” the statement added.

“This constructive meeting followed recent high-level engagements,” the report said, citing talks in Washington between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

A senior Biden administration official said on October 31 that the two countries are planning a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November, but important details need to be carefully discussed.

China has more than 500 operational nuclear warheads in its arsenal and could have more than 1,000 by 2030, the Pentagon said in its annual report on China's military on October 19.

The United States has a stockpile of about 3,700 nuclear warheads, of which about 1,419 are deployed strategic nuclear warheads. According to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia has about 1,550 deployed nuclear weapons and a stockpile of 4,489 nuclear warheads.

Bui Huy (according to Reuters, CNA)