United States and China negotiate mutual visits to nuclear facilities

The United States and China are negotiating reciprocal visits to each other's nuclear facilities, according to reporting cited by US officials. The talks were revealed on Tuesday and come days after Xi Jinping's visit to the White House. They also come amid renewed concern about a possible new nuclear arms race between major powers.

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The reported discussions were disclosed by officials in the US government, according to the account. No details were given on which facilities could be included, how the visits would be arranged, or whether a timetable has been set. The reporting links the talks to recent diplomacy between the two countries and to wider concerns about nuclear transparency.

The development is significant because it touches on one of the most sensitive areas in the relationship between Washington and Beijing. Mutual access to nuclear sites would be a rare step in confidence-building between the world's two largest powers. It could also be seen as an attempt to reduce uncertainty at a time when strategic competition remains high.

The talks are taking place after the New START treaty expired in February. That agreement was the last major nuclear arms control arrangement between the United States and Russia, and its expiry has added to concerns about the future of global nuclear restraint. Against that backdrop, any move toward greater openness between the United States and China would carry broader implications for arms control discussions.

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The reported negotiations also follow Xi Jinping's recent visit to the White House, which suggests the issue may be part of a wider diplomatic channel between the two governments. The United States and China have long differed on nuclear policy, with Beijing traditionally maintaining a smaller arsenal and a more limited level of transparency than Washington. Any reciprocal visits would therefore represent a notable shift, even if only at the discussion stage.

It remains unclear whether the talks will lead to an agreement, what form any visits might take, or whether either side has committed to a formal process. There has been no public confirmation of a schedule or of the facilities under discussion. The next developments to watch are whether officials on either side acknowledge the negotiations and whether the talks produce any concrete nuclear confidence-building measures.

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