Earlier in November, the ministry said that Beijing and Washington will hold first arms control consultations in years this week but did not disclose the exact date of the meeting. The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials, that the start of such consultations does not mean the start of formal negotiations on establishing limits on the nuclear forces of the parties.
"Last week, we said that China maintains close contacts with leading countries around the world on issues of arms control and nuclear non-proliferation," Wang told a briefing, when asked about details of the meeting with the US.
The consultations will be held on the level of departments for arms control and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, the spokesman said, adding that the sides will hold a dialogue and "exchange views on a wide range of issues, including the implementation of international arms control treaties and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons."
China will inform the public about the consultations in a timely manner, Wang said.
The meeting of US and Chinese envoys on arms control will be held shortly before the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit in San Francisco, where US President Joe Biden is expected to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. It will be the first such meeting since the Obama administration, coming amid Washington's growing concerns over its three-way arms race with Beijing and Moscow.