US and China discuss reciprocal visits to nuclear facilities, CNN reports

The United States and China have engaged in discussions regarding the possibility of reciprocal visits to nuclear sites. These talks, which are part of a broader effort to address arms control, have primarily taken place on the sidelines of meetings involving the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

The concept of reciprocal visits was initially proposed by Chinese officials during meetings held earlier this year. The discussions have reportedly explored the potential for visits to United States Department of Energy national laboratories as well as their equivalent facilities within China.

While these discussions have been ongoing, they were not a topic of conversation during the recent meeting between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping. During that encounter, President Trump advocated for trilateral arms control negotiations involving the United States, China, and Russia.

Beijing has historically maintained that its nuclear arsenal is significantly smaller than those held by the United States and Russia. Based on this disparity, China has argued that its participation in broader arms control negotiations is unnecessary.

Plans to continue pushing for these reciprocal visits are expected to remain a focus of meetings in the coming months. Observers anticipate that another meeting between President Trump and President Xi may occur later this year, with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November identified as a potential venue for further diplomatic engagement.

Official representatives from the White House and the Chinese embassy in Washington have not provided comments regarding these reports. Efforts to verify the details of these discussions remain ongoing.