Beijing: China on Thursday urged the US and South Korea to uphold their non-proliferation obligations after reports surfaced that Washington has approved Seoul's plan to build nuclear-powered submarines. Responding to inquiries about the recent South Korea-US summit, where leaders from both nations reportedly discussed advancing the construction of nuclear-powered submarines, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that Beijing had taken note of these developments.

According to Anadolu Agency, Guo emphasized that China hopes both South Korea and the United States will earnestly fulfill their nuclear non-proliferation obligations and focus on initiatives that promote regional peace and stability. Guo highlighted China's commitment to peaceful development, a defensive national defense policy, and a good neighborly foreign policy, asserting that China has consistently been a pillar in safeguarding regional peace and stability.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced his approval of South Korea's plan to build nuclear-powered submarines, contrasting them with the "old-fashioned, and far less nimble, diesel-powered submarines" currently in use. Trump also revealed that South Korea has agreed to a comprehensive economic and defense package with the US. He stated on his Truth Social platform that South Korea has committed to paying the USA 350 billion dollars in exchange for a reduction in the tariffs imposed by the United States.