Beijing has called on the United States to take the lead in reducing global military spending after U.S. President Donald Trump proposed talks with China and Russia on the issue.

Trump, positioning himself as a global peacemaker in his second term, told reporters on Thursday that he wanted to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping “when things calm down.” He added, “I want to say, let's cut our military budget in half.”

Responding to the proposal, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun emphasized that the U.S. has the largest defense budget in the world. “Since the United States advocates ‘America First,’ it should take the lead in setting an example by reducing military spending,” Guo said at a regular press briefing on Friday.

He described China’s defense budget as "open and transparent," adding that it is “reasonable and appropriate” in comparison to other military powers. He stressed that China's defense spending is necessary for safeguarding national security and maintaining global peace.

Trump also called for reductions in nuclear arsenals among the three powers. However, Guo argued that the U.S. and Russia bear the “special and primary responsibility” for nuclear disarmament due to their significantly larger stockpiles. “China maintains its nuclear force at the minimum level required for national security and does not engage in arms races with any country,” he said.