China's ongoing nuclear weapons buildup, its development of hypersonic missile technology, and economic dominance should be matters of concern for Russia, Nicholas Burns, a nominee for US ambassador to China, said on Wednesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th October, 2021) China's ongoing nuclear weapons buildup, its development of hypersonic missile technology, and economic dominance should be matters of concern for Russia, Nicholas Burns, a nominee for US ambassador to China, said on Wednesday.
"The Russians are going to have to worry long term about economic domination of Russia by China," Burns said during a Senate hearing. "(T)he Russians ought to be worried about a Chinese nuclear weapons buildup in the western part of China, about the hypersonic missile ..., and the fact that China is completely unconstrained."
Former Under State Secretary for Political Affairs Burns, a career diplomat, has been nominated by President Joe Biden to be US ambassador to China in August. Following the nomination, China expressed its hope that the new ambassador will play a "constructive role" in improving the significantly deteriorated relationship between Beijing and Washington.
Burns also served as the US ambassador to Greece from 1997-2001 and ambassador to NATO from 2001-2005. During his tenure as the under state secretary from 2005-2008, the diplomat worked with the Chinese government on different issues, including Afghanistan, UN sanctions against Iran, North Korea and others.
