'Cold War mentality'

China has criticised suggestions by the US government that it could be a potential nuclear adversary, accusing the Trump administration of peddling a "Cold War mentality".

The US Defense Department's Nuclear Posture Review on Friday released outlines the Pentagon's nuclear ambitions under President Donald Trump, while spelling out how it foresees nuclear threats in the coming decades.

Although the review largely focuses on Russia, several sections are dedicated to the lack of transparency in China's nuclear buildup.

The report says China has added new types of nuclear capabilities -- ranging from a mobile intercontinental ballistic missile to a new ballistic missile submarine -- "with little to no transparency into its intentions".

The report makes "wild guesses" about China's intentions and exaggerates the threat of its nuclear force, defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said in a statement.

China is "firmly opposed to this", Ren said.

China "has always kept its own nuclear forces at the minimum level required by national security", Ren said, pointing out that the US has the world's largest nuclear arsenal.

"We hope that the United States will abandon its Cold War mentality," Ren said.

Since taking office in 2012 President Xi Jinping has pushed for a muscular China, including calls last October to develop a "world-class" military by 2050.

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said yesterday the United States' new nuclear policy brings humanity "closer to annihilation".

His comments late Saturday came a day after the Pentagon revealed plans to revamp its nuclear arsenal, largely in response to a perceived renewed threat from Russia, reported AFP.

Zarif said the new policy was "in violation" of the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

"The US Nuclear Posture Review reflects greater reliance on nukes in violation of the #NPT, bringing humankind closer to annihilation," Zarif said on Twitter.